Michael Jones
LightNews LightNews
banner
mixaeljones.bsky.social
Michael Jones
@mixaeljones.bsky.social
180 followers 170 following 460 posts
Being amongst nature is my happy place 🙂

I love sharing nature with others through my job as Heathland Education Officer and in my free time.

Wannabe naturalist. Attempted photographer. Occasional writer. Citizen scientist.
Posts Replies Media Videos
mixaeljones.bsky.social
I was quite surprised to find some Heath Speedwell flowering on a local Hampshire heathland this week!

#WildflowerHour
@bsbibotany.bsky.social
Heath Speedwell - light purple flowers on a dark green upright stem.
November 2, 2025 at 8:19 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
This Kingfisher perched on a post in front of me for about a millisecond - long enough for one mostly in-focus photo.

What an amazing bird, but a bit too whizzy for my slow reaction time!

#DailyNature #Bird #Kingfisher
Kingfisher - a bird with a blue feathered back and head and orange chest, with a long, pointed beak - perched near the top of a wooden branch. The background is a mixture of blurred greens
October 14, 2025 at 4:08 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
I finally managed to find my first ever Magpie Inkcap at the wonderful Ebernoe Common in Sussex. I’ve been looking on and off for a few years, so I let out an audible “whoop” when I saw it!

#FungiFriends #FungiFriday
@britmycolsoc.org.uk #Mushroom
A large mushroom with a white-spotted brown cap and pearl-white stem to the left of the image. The out of focus background is green and there are some brown dead leaves on the ground
October 10, 2025 at 5:14 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
Fencepost Jumping Spider… on a fence, but not jumping! 🕷️

@britishspiders.bsky.social
#Spider #Arachtober
A Fencepost Jumping Spider on a wooden fence looks towards the camera. It has hairy palps and the photographer can be seen reflected in the spider’s front two eyes
October 9, 2025 at 6:40 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
A beautiful Peacock #butterfly drifted past me and then paused for a precious moment on a bramble leaf. Its presence warmed me as much as the late afternoon sunshine warmed its delicate wings.

@savebutterflies.bsky.social
#DailyNature
A large, mostly dark red-winged butterfly, with an eye-spot on each wing, perched on a bramble leaf
October 3, 2025 at 5:26 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
On the second day of #Arachtober my true love sent to me… a Daddy Long-legs Spider drinking juice from two ladybirds 🐞🕷️🎶

@britishspiders.bsky.social
#Spider #Ladybird
A long-legged spider eating a ladybird. Another ladybird is suspended in a web close by
October 2, 2025 at 6:05 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
On the first day of #Arachtober my true love sent to me… a Fencepost Jumping Spider in my bathroom sink! 🕷️🚰

Not sure this adaptation of a classic festive song is going to catch on… but worth a go! 🎶

@britishspiders.bsky.social
#Spider #JumpingSpider
A small jumping spider with stripy legs and gleaming eyes stood on a white sink
October 1, 2025 at 6:44 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
Fringed Water-lily on a heathland pond. I went for arty - not quite sure I pulled it off!

#WildflowerHour #DailyNature
@bsbibotany.bsky.social
A yellow-petalled flower with a slender stalk grows out of the water. The plant is reflected in the silvery water.
September 21, 2025 at 7:23 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
I found this Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing #moth in the bathroom.

It challenged me to a staring competition… and won. I think not having eyelids is probably cheating!

#DailyNature
@savebutterflies.bsky.social
A close-up front on view of a moth. The moth is standing on a white pot lid A yellow-brown-coloured moth facing right, stood on a white pot lid
September 11, 2025 at 6:28 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
Number 1️⃣2️⃣ for the #LadybirdYearList is this bright yellow 22-spot Ladybird munching on mildew in the garden

If I ever form a band (I won’t!) our first album would definitely be called Munching on Mildew! 💿🐞

#DailyNature #Ladybird
A yellow ladybird with lots of black spots on a dark green leaf. The leaf has patches of fluffy white mildew
September 10, 2025 at 12:17 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
I spotted a Kestrel hunting worms in a field 🪱 Never seen that before!

It also showed me its fancy feathered trousers!

#DailyNature #Birds #BirdsOfPrey
#Kestrel #Worm #FoodChain
A Kestrel in a grassy field hunting worms. It has a worm in its beak and is pulling it out of the ground A front-on view of a Kestrel in a grassy field
September 9, 2025 at 12:18 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
I wonder if this Small Copper was aware just how close it was to major peril! 🐝🕷️🍴

#DailyNature #Butterfly #Spider
@britishspiders.bsky.social
@savebutterflies.bsky.social
A Small Copper butterfly nectaring on Ling in the foreground. In the background and out of focus is a Wasp Spider on its web
September 8, 2025 at 5:36 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
Some blackberries came out of the freezer earlier on their way into a welcoming crumble. I don’t think I’ve ever looked closely at frozen blackberries before - a beautiful collection of ice crystals.

#DailyNature
A close-up of a number of blackberries that have just come out of the freezer. The berries are covered in tiny ice crystals
September 5, 2025 at 7:26 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
I almost sat on this #shieldbug earlier! I think it’s a Bronze Shieldbug final instar nymph.

#DailyNature #Pentatomidae
@britishbugs.bsky.social
A shieldbug on a wooden bench. The shieldbug’s body is round and patterned with a metallic sheen. Its legs are orange
September 4, 2025 at 7:20 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
This Crab Spider is generously offering free cuddles to passing insects. No takers so far!

#DailyNature #Heathland #Heather #CrabSpider #Spider
@britishspiders.bsky.social
A cream-white crab spider with front two pairs of legs outstretched hiding in pink-petalled heather flowers
September 3, 2025 at 5:08 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
Stonechat making the most of the sunshine in the short gaps between showers ☀️☔️

#DailyNature #Heathland #Bird
A brown bird with orange-y feathers on its chest perched on top of a spiky green gorse bush
September 2, 2025 at 4:08 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
A snoozy Buff-tailed Bumblebee mulls over its plans for the day ahead. A quick gulp of #heather nectar would be the perfect start!

#DailyNature #Bumblebee #Heathland #Ling
A black bumblebee with yellow stripes and an off-white tipped abdomen perched facing upwards on a pale pink flowered heather plant
September 1, 2025 at 3:26 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
The stunning pink of a late summer #heathland landscape provides the perfect background for insect photography. This Common Blue Damselfly spent a moment resting on this Common Heather.

#Odonata #Damselfly #DailyNature
@britishdragonflies.bsky.social
A bright blue damselfly with black markings along its abdomen and thorax perched on a heather plant. The heather has dark green leaves and pale pink flowers.
August 26, 2025 at 5:49 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
Found a fab Wasp Spider on my local #heathland this morning. It was just collecting its thoughts, when a Sand Digger Wasp got stuck in the web. The speed the wasp was incapacitated and spun into a silken bundle was amazing! 🕷️🕸️

#spider #DailyNature
@britishspiders.bsky.social
Large spider with a wasp-like black and yellow abdomen and stripy legs on a web. The out of focus background is dark green and purple from gorse and heather
August 24, 2025 at 7:03 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
I was playing Lego with my 2-year old daughter and she said “What is this?” pointing to something tiny wandering across the floor.

On closer inspection, I think it might be an Ant-nest Ladybird.

I should get her looking for more 🐞🐞

Number 1️⃣1️⃣ for the #LadybirdYearList

@andrew-jewels.bsky.social
A small black semi-hairy ladybird with 4 red spots in a plastic collection pot A small black semi-hairy ladybird with 4 red spots in a plastic collection pot
August 22, 2025 at 4:37 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
My attention was caught by a 7-spot #Ladybird, but as I got closer, I noticed a far smaller species - a fab Adonis’s Ladybird!

The great thing about looking closely at nature is that you often spot something smaller and equally amazing 😀🐞

Number 🔟 for the #LadybirdYearList

#DailyNature
A red ladybird with 7 visible black spots perched on a pale green flower head with small yellow petals.
August 19, 2025 at 6:19 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
I was accompanied on a wander along the South West Coast Path in South Devon by a host of Hornet Robberflies. What amazing flies with fantastic moustaches! 🥸

@dipteristsforum.bsky.social
#Robberfly #Asilidae
A yellow and brown fly perched on a white-coloured rock A yellow and brown fly perched on the ground facing towards the camera. Its mouthparts are protruding and its bushy moustache is clearly visible.
August 18, 2025 at 6:52 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
I spotted an unfamiliar #ladybird at Challaborough Bay, South Devon… then saw one getting up to something with one I could identify a moment later - a 2-spot Ladybird.

Mystery solved! 🐞🕵️‍♂️

I think the one that confused me was Adalia bipunctata f. sexpustulata.

Number 9️⃣ for the #LadybirdYearList
A black ladybird with 6 red spots in a collection pot. A pair of 2-Spot Ladybirds facing downwards whilst mating on a pale green plant stem. One of the ladybirds is black with 6 red spots (3 visible) and the other is red with 2 spots (one visible)
August 17, 2025 at 5:46 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
This Holly Blue has been enjoying a drink from some Bell Heather. Check out its fab curly tongue!

#WildflowerHour #PollinatorPals
#DailyNature #Butterfly
@bsbibotany.bsky.social
@savebutterflies.bsky.social
A Holly Blue butterfly perched on Bell Heather. The butterfly is facing downwards and its curly proboscis is on show.
August 10, 2025 at 7:39 PM
mixaeljones.bsky.social
I spotted this tiny character on my local #heathland. It’s an Aelurillus v-insignitus (V-fronted Jumping Spider). I only find one one or two a year, so today was a special day 🕷️ 😀

#Spider #JumpingSpider
#BroxheadCommon #Heathland
#DailyNature
@britishspiders.bsky.social
V-fronted Jumping Spider - a small spider with tan and black stripy legs, fluffy pedipalps and six eyes visible stood on a piece of deadwood V-fronted Jumping Spider - a small spider with tan and black stripy legs, fluffy pedipalps and six eyes visible stood on a sandy heathland path
August 7, 2025 at 4:47 PM