Rory Dimond
@rdimond.bsky.social
Environmental charity worker, wildlife gardener and volunteer. Avid entomology enthusiast. Mostly speaks about the smaller thigs (bees, wasps, flies, spiders etc.) on my local patch. He/Him.
Pleased to have been elected Conservation Lead on the committee of Friends of Castle Park. It will be great to work with the enthusiastic volunteers and the Countryside Management Service to improve the area for wildlife and engage the community on my local patch.
Photo: Waytemore Castle mound
Photo: Waytemore Castle mound
January 21, 2026 at 1:12 PM
Pleased to have been elected Conservation Lead on the committee of Friends of Castle Park. It will be great to work with the enthusiastic volunteers and the Countryside Management Service to improve the area for wildlife and engage the community on my local patch.
Photo: Waytemore Castle mound
Photo: Waytemore Castle mound
Trying to work out if these ones I found today on a hose reel are in a better or worse position (the head wasn't in the holster).
7-spots don't seem bothered about being within an enclosed space. I see several together in teasel heads with their butts out in the cold, even in frost and snow.
7-spots don't seem bothered about being within an enclosed space. I see several together in teasel heads with their butts out in the cold, even in frost and snow.
January 17, 2026 at 10:47 PM
Trying to work out if these ones I found today on a hose reel are in a better or worse position (the head wasn't in the holster).
7-spots don't seem bothered about being within an enclosed space. I see several together in teasel heads with their butts out in the cold, even in frost and snow.
7-spots don't seem bothered about being within an enclosed space. I see several together in teasel heads with their butts out in the cold, even in frost and snow.
Gunther! Who told you you could fly?
January 15, 2026 at 6:40 PM
Gunther! Who told you you could fly?
We have Lasius flavus in Europe, which has a similar appearance and behaviour. They are ecosystem engineers in grasslands where they manage vegetation and soil dynamics. They're a cover species in this month's British Wildlife Magazine.
January 13, 2026 at 4:46 PM
We have Lasius flavus in Europe, which has a similar appearance and behaviour. They are ecosystem engineers in grasslands where they manage vegetation and soil dynamics. They're a cover species in this month's British Wildlife Magazine.
Sepedon sphegea live around still water bodies, where they breed on aquatic 🐌 🐌. The adults usually feed on dead insects and perch on reeds, irises, sedges etc having you swearing at the autofocus. This one went straight for my pasty crumb then climbed up my trouser leg like some street kitten!
August 7, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Sepedon sphegea live around still water bodies, where they breed on aquatic 🐌 🐌. The adults usually feed on dead insects and perch on reeds, irises, sedges etc having you swearing at the autofocus. This one went straight for my pasty crumb then climbed up my trouser leg like some street kitten!
Today I was blessed with the experience of sharing my lunch with a Blue Long-horned Snailkiller fly (Sepedon sphegea) . Some people feed the pigeons... #Invertefest #FliesofBritainandIreland
August 7, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Today I was blessed with the experience of sharing my lunch with a Blue Long-horned Snailkiller fly (Sepedon sphegea) . Some people feed the pigeons... #Invertefest #FliesofBritainandIreland
Very pleased to have seen my first Yellow-faced Blowfly (Cynomyia mortorum) today on a Herts Invertebrate Project visit to Natural England's Hexton Estate. King of his chalky Hill chasing off the other less glamorous blowflies. #FliesofBritainandIreland #Entomology
@naturalengland.bsky.social
@naturalengland.bsky.social
July 27, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Very pleased to have seen my first Yellow-faced Blowfly (Cynomyia mortorum) today on a Herts Invertebrate Project visit to Natural England's Hexton Estate. King of his chalky Hill chasing off the other less glamorous blowflies. #FliesofBritainandIreland #Entomology
@naturalengland.bsky.social
@naturalengland.bsky.social
Yes 'heron hawking' was a sport. There are several historic illustrations of it, including this painting by Edward Landseer at Kenwood House. Apparently sometimes a heron managed to injure the hawk with its beak.
May 21, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Yes 'heron hawking' was a sport. There are several historic illustrations of it, including this painting by Edward Landseer at Kenwood House. Apparently sometimes a heron managed to injure the hawk with its beak.
Went to my local country park to look for solitary bees today and my first Brown Argus of the year was a nice bonus.
May 10, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Went to my local country park to look for solitary bees today and my first Brown Argus of the year was a nice bonus.
Several Box Bugs and Common Green Shieldbugs, having a drink and enjoying each others company in a Winter Honeysuckle bush yesterday #Invertefest
April 26, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Several Box Bugs and Common Green Shieldbugs, having a drink and enjoying each others company in a Winter Honeysuckle bush yesterday #Invertefest
Love this gorgeous new art installation local to me by Julia Fonnereau celebrating local #wildflowers , #butterflies and a #SolitaryBee! Though somewhat ironically on a carpark considering the title "You don't know what you've got til it's gone"! #WildlifeArt
March 23, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Love this gorgeous new art installation local to me by Julia Fonnereau celebrating local #wildflowers , #butterflies and a #SolitaryBee! Though somewhat ironically on a carpark considering the title "You don't know what you've got til it's gone"! #WildlifeArt
A new #bee for me! A male White-faced Mason Bee (Osmia cornuta), one of several drinking from Mahonia in a pub garden in St Margarets, Herts. Never managed to spot one in London but nice to see them spreading into the home counties. As good an excuse as any to yoink myself back into social media.
March 10, 2025 at 12:44 PM
A new #bee for me! A male White-faced Mason Bee (Osmia cornuta), one of several drinking from Mahonia in a pub garden in St Margarets, Herts. Never managed to spot one in London but nice to see them spreading into the home counties. As good an excuse as any to yoink myself back into social media.
RIP to this iconic lad on today's bug hunt who ate a fly, had sex and got eaten in front of an audience of 4-5 year olds.
May 24, 2024 at 6:23 PM
RIP to this iconic lad on today's bug hunt who ate a fly, had sex and got eaten in front of an audience of 4-5 year olds.
Hairy Shieldbug resplendent on an Early Purple Orchid perch in the wildlife garden this afternoon. Just glorious! 💜
May 4, 2024 at 8:59 PM
Hairy Shieldbug resplendent on an Early Purple Orchid perch in the wildlife garden this afternoon. Just glorious! 💜
The evening light did make up for today's weather conditions a bit. I'm adoring the fresh leaf colours in my view from the living room.
April 15, 2024 at 9:09 PM
The evening light did make up for today's weather conditions a bit. I'm adoring the fresh leaf colours in my view from the living room.
A very popular bird turd in the grassland across the road. There are microhabitats and then there are microhabitats!
The Wolf Spider was just trying to scootch in to bask. They don't eat Ladybirds like the 16-spots here.
The Wolf Spider was just trying to scootch in to bask. They don't eat Ladybirds like the 16-spots here.
April 14, 2024 at 2:04 PM
A very popular bird turd in the grassland across the road. There are microhabitats and then there are microhabitats!
The Wolf Spider was just trying to scootch in to bask. They don't eat Ladybirds like the 16-spots here.
The Wolf Spider was just trying to scootch in to bask. They don't eat Ladybirds like the 16-spots here.
Amazes me that one of our biggest, burliest insect pollinators manage to feed from the pinhole openings of dainty little Forget-me-nots yet that's exactly what this storm - worn queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee managed to do when I placed her on them in my garden.
April 6, 2024 at 8:59 PM
Amazes me that one of our biggest, burliest insect pollinators manage to feed from the pinhole openings of dainty little Forget-me-nots yet that's exactly what this storm - worn queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee managed to do when I placed her on them in my garden.
The patch of Lesser Celandine in my parent's garden continues to spread and bring cheer. They were happy to see a Comma butterfly on it this week.
March 24, 2024 at 7:20 PM
The patch of Lesser Celandine in my parent's garden continues to spread and bring cheer. They were happy to see a Comma butterfly on it this week.
The Kingcups/Marsh Marigolds (Caltha palustris) are coming into flower at Bat Willow Hurst, Herts this weekend. This one appears to have a smut fungus on one of its flowers. #WildFlowerHour
March 17, 2024 at 8:55 PM
The Kingcups/Marsh Marigolds (Caltha palustris) are coming into flower at Bat Willow Hurst, Herts this weekend. This one appears to have a smut fungus on one of its flowers. #WildFlowerHour
My first #Beefly (Bombylius major) of the year seemed to be enacting the Kafka Metamorphosis meme. Perhaps knocked off his perch in the changeable weather. Easily coaxed him onto my finger, then into some vegetation.
March 17, 2024 at 5:04 PM
My first #Beefly (Bombylius major) of the year seemed to be enacting the Kafka Metamorphosis meme. Perhaps knocked off his perch in the changeable weather. Easily coaxed him onto my finger, then into some vegetation.
Great to see one putting those car cutter mandibles to action on the tough fungus! I was amazed to spot one on the 20th of Feb in the garden I work in.
March 3, 2024 at 6:51 PM
Great to see one putting those car cutter mandibles to action on the tough fungus! I was amazed to spot one on the 20th of Feb in the garden I work in.
It's Leap Day. Post a frog.🐸
This Glass Frog joined us group of biologists one morning at Waita Lodge, Ecuador. Never had I ever met a creature so pure 🥰
This Glass Frog joined us group of biologists one morning at Waita Lodge, Ecuador. Never had I ever met a creature so pure 🥰
February 29, 2024 at 7:24 PM
It's Leap Day. Post a frog.🐸
This Glass Frog joined us group of biologists one morning at Waita Lodge, Ecuador. Never had I ever met a creature so pure 🥰
This Glass Frog joined us group of biologists one morning at Waita Lodge, Ecuador. Never had I ever met a creature so pure 🥰
Urban Ents in Bishop's Stortford. These pollarded Horse Chestnuts look less like they're shaking their fists at the sky and more like they're poised to bludgeon passersby (or to storm Isengard).
February 29, 2024 at 6:02 PM
Urban Ents in Bishop's Stortford. These pollarded Horse Chestnuts look less like they're shaking their fists at the sky and more like they're poised to bludgeon passersby (or to storm Isengard).
