Richard Evans
@richardev.bsky.social
#Butterflies, wildflower meadow restoration in Lancaster and the Lune valley.
More information on our restoration of Hermitage Field at https://hermitagefieldcommunitymeadow.com
#wildflowers #rewilding
More information on our restoration of Hermitage Field at https://hermitagefieldcommunitymeadow.com
#wildflowers #rewilding
My first walk into the field for 5 weeks and there's a Clouded Yellow right by the path. First I've seen for around 20 years. #ukbutterflies #ukwildlife
September 9, 2025 at 5:27 PM
My first walk into the field for 5 weeks and there's a Clouded Yellow right by the path. First I've seen for around 20 years. #ukbutterflies #ukwildlife
Long time since we've seen multiple Small Tortoiseshell #butterflies in the garden. A joy to see 5 of them on a self-sown buddleia between us and our neighbour. #ukwildlife
August 16, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Long time since we've seen multiple Small Tortoiseshell #butterflies in the garden. A joy to see 5 of them on a self-sown buddleia between us and our neighbour. #ukwildlife
10 #butterfly species in the garden today, including this male Brimstone – not common round here, and first time we've had one in the garden in summer. #ukwildlife
July 21, 2025 at 5:37 PM
10 #butterfly species in the garden today, including this male Brimstone – not common round here, and first time we've had one in the garden in summer. #ukwildlife
The Marmalade Hoverfly, Episyrphus balteatus, might be one of the commonest hoverflies, but I love seeing them – think it one of the prettiest. #ukwildlife #insects
July 20, 2025 at 10:51 AM
The Marmalade Hoverfly, Episyrphus balteatus, might be one of the commonest hoverflies, but I love seeing them – think it one of the prettiest. #ukwildlife #insects
Eryngium 'Big blue' has been anincredible magnate for pollinators this year, even in overcast conditions.
July 20, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Eryngium 'Big blue' has been anincredible magnate for pollinators this year, even in overcast conditions.
A curious fly on the garden scabious. Apparently this is Physocephala rufipes, the Waisted beegrabber, and not seen much in our area. It parasitizes bumblebees. Thanks to Rob Zloch for confirming ID. #ukwildlife #insects #diptera
July 16, 2025 at 5:25 PM
A curious fly on the garden scabious. Apparently this is Physocephala rufipes, the Waisted beegrabber, and not seen much in our area. It parasitizes bumblebees. Thanks to Rob Zloch for confirming ID. #ukwildlife #insects #diptera
Large White #butterflies making lots more Large White butterflies in the garden. #ukwildlife
July 16, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Large White #butterflies making lots more Large White butterflies in the garden. #ukwildlife
3/3 Bonus points for spotting the burnet moth perched on a Ribwort Plantain seedhead. 🌱 #wildflowers
June 23, 2025 at 9:28 PM
3/3 Bonus points for spotting the burnet moth perched on a Ribwort Plantain seedhead. 🌱 #wildflowers
2/3 Another bit of the meadow. Great Burnet fighting for attention with the orchids. 🌱 #wildflowers
June 23, 2025 at 9:28 PM
2/3 Another bit of the meadow. Great Burnet fighting for attention with the orchids. 🌱 #wildflowers
1/3 Common Spotted-orchids just coming into their own in Miss Whalley's Field in Lancaster. 🌱 #wildflowers
June 23, 2025 at 9:28 PM
1/3 Common Spotted-orchids just coming into their own in Miss Whalley's Field in Lancaster. 🌱 #wildflowers
Found what I think is a Snout moth (?) on the bathroom window sill this morning. Crawled on to my finger very willingly to be released outside. @mothiduk.bsky.social #ukmoths
June 23, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Found what I think is a Snout moth (?) on the bathroom window sill this morning. Crawled on to my finger very willingly to be released outside. @mothiduk.bsky.social #ukmoths
Melancholy Thistle, flowering with Meadow Crane's-bill, Meadow Buttercup, Oxeye Daisy, Rattle and Sorrel. Miss Whalley's Field in Lancaster. 🌱#wildflowers
June 20, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Melancholy Thistle, flowering with Meadow Crane's-bill, Meadow Buttercup, Oxeye Daisy, Rattle and Sorrel. Miss Whalley's Field in Lancaster. 🌱#wildflowers
Large Skippers abundant in the field just now. Love the dappled golden light on their wings. #nature #butterflies #ukwildlife 🌱
June 19, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Large Skippers abundant in the field just now. Love the dappled golden light on their wings. #nature #butterflies #ukwildlife 🌱
Simnel cake for Easter.
April 20, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Simnel cake for Easter.
🌱 Here's another for early-season #wildflower sward nerds.
Melancholy Thistle spreading nicely. This is in the same bit of the meadow where we are operating a 'mow once every 3 years' cycle. Not much Yellow Rattle in evidence here.
Melancholy Thistle spreading nicely. This is in the same bit of the meadow where we are operating a 'mow once every 3 years' cycle. Not much Yellow Rattle in evidence here.
April 13, 2025 at 5:36 PM
🌱 Here's another for early-season #wildflower sward nerds.
Melancholy Thistle spreading nicely. This is in the same bit of the meadow where we are operating a 'mow once every 3 years' cycle. Not much Yellow Rattle in evidence here.
Melancholy Thistle spreading nicely. This is in the same bit of the meadow where we are operating a 'mow once every 3 years' cycle. Not much Yellow Rattle in evidence here.
Stonking germination of Yellow Rattle in the field this year. Had been concerned the Rattle would have disappeared following our intermittent mowing regime:
2021: mow and sow Rattle
2022: not mown
2023: not mown
2024: mown
🌱 #wildflowers
2021: mow and sow Rattle
2022: not mown
2023: not mown
2024: mown
🌱 #wildflowers
April 13, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Stonking germination of Yellow Rattle in the field this year. Had been concerned the Rattle would have disappeared following our intermittent mowing regime:
2021: mow and sow Rattle
2022: not mown
2023: not mown
2024: mown
🌱 #wildflowers
2021: mow and sow Rattle
2022: not mown
2023: not mown
2024: mown
🌱 #wildflowers
Saturday coffee-time treats: Chocolate and Hazelnut Crinkles (Mine and C's contribution – on the right) and Hazelnut Shortbread (Anne's contribution – on the left).
January 11, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Saturday coffee-time treats: Chocolate and Hazelnut Crinkles (Mine and C's contribution – on the right) and Hazelnut Shortbread (Anne's contribution – on the left).
Top work from Tessa Moore – here on the right – and her Public Realm team. The Council is always so responsive and genuinely interested in doing more for nature in Lancaster and Morecambe.
You can just see the dome of the Ashton Memorial in Williamson Park poking up on the left side of the pic. 3/3
You can just see the dome of the Ashton Memorial in Williamson Park poking up on the left side of the pic. 3/3
January 10, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Top work from Tessa Moore – here on the right – and her Public Realm team. The Council is always so responsive and genuinely interested in doing more for nature in Lancaster and Morecambe.
You can just see the dome of the Ashton Memorial in Williamson Park poking up on the left side of the pic. 3/3
You can just see the dome of the Ashton Memorial in Williamson Park poking up on the left side of the pic. 3/3
They’re coppicing willow and taking out invasive Rosa rugosa to allow more light into the community orchard and adjacent wildflower meadow, taking care to leave blackthorn, guelder rose, hazel, yew and birch. 2/3
January 10, 2025 at 1:28 PM
They’re coppicing willow and taking out invasive Rosa rugosa to allow more light into the community orchard and adjacent wildflower meadow, taking care to leave blackthorn, guelder rose, hazel, yew and birch. 2/3
Ages ago we asked Lancaster City Council if they could coppice some willow on the field. ‘Only when there’s a prolonged hard frost’, they said – ground needs to be frozen to stop kit sinking into wet ground. 2 years on, the temperature is -6C, and here they are first thing this morning! 1/3 🧵
January 10, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Ages ago we asked Lancaster City Council if they could coppice some willow on the field. ‘Only when there’s a prolonged hard frost’, they said – ground needs to be frozen to stop kit sinking into wet ground. 2 years on, the temperature is -6C, and here they are first thing this morning! 1/3 🧵
In our house, #Christmas Eve means it's time for spiced Christmas bread for breakfast. Wheat/rye enriched dough with raisins, pistachio, crystallised ginger and mixed peel. Spice is clove, cinnamon, mace and allspice. Delicious toasted with butter or marmalade!
December 24, 2024 at 8:14 AM
In our house, #Christmas Eve means it's time for spiced Christmas bread for breakfast. Wheat/rye enriched dough with raisins, pistachio, crystallised ginger and mixed peel. Spice is clove, cinnamon, mace and allspice. Delicious toasted with butter or marmalade!
If only that were the case here. Steep bank outside some flats near us, often covered in Bee Orchid rosettes. All of which are mown off every spring. Just now and again they leave off mowing for a couple of weeks in summer, and a lovely carpet of Trefoil, Selfheal and Clover appears.
December 11, 2024 at 1:09 PM
If only that were the case here. Steep bank outside some flats near us, often covered in Bee Orchid rosettes. All of which are mown off every spring. Just now and again they leave off mowing for a couple of weeks in summer, and a lovely carpet of Trefoil, Selfheal and Clover appears.
Stuck inside with thick cold, and as usual, day-dreaming of spring. Here are 'The Lots' at Silverdale, with thousands of orchids – Green-winged and Early Purple. 🌱#wildlife #ukwildlife #nature #wildflowers
December 10, 2024 at 11:38 AM
Stuck inside with thick cold, and as usual, day-dreaming of spring. Here are 'The Lots' at Silverdale, with thousands of orchids – Green-winged and Early Purple. 🌱#wildlife #ukwildlife #nature #wildflowers
Fabulous. We got a very similar display in Lancaster just after 10PM that night. Looks strikingly similar to yours!
December 1, 2024 at 5:50 PM
Fabulous. We got a very similar display in Lancaster just after 10PM that night. Looks strikingly similar to yours!
Depressing news for nature everywhere! Let's hope 2025 is better. Had terrible weather throughout late spring and summer, so insects emerging June onwards did really badly.
Nice to see skippers in your feed though! We get 2 species regularly in our garden. Here's one of them, Ochlodes sylvanus.
Nice to see skippers in your feed though! We get 2 species regularly in our garden. Here's one of them, Ochlodes sylvanus.
November 19, 2024 at 8:25 PM
Depressing news for nature everywhere! Let's hope 2025 is better. Had terrible weather throughout late spring and summer, so insects emerging June onwards did really badly.
Nice to see skippers in your feed though! We get 2 species regularly in our garden. Here's one of them, Ochlodes sylvanus.
Nice to see skippers in your feed though! We get 2 species regularly in our garden. Here's one of them, Ochlodes sylvanus.