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rjsutton1975.bsky.social
Richard Sutton
@rjsutton1975.bsky.social
130 followers 86 following 72 posts
Birds, mammals, insects, travel
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rjsutton1975.bsky.social
Work moth of the day today probably can’t get much better! Clifden Nonpareil Catocala fraxini, found first thing this morning when I nearly trod on it. #teammoth
Clifden Nonpareil, a large grey moth with impressive blue and black hind wings Clifden Nonpareil, a large grey moth with impressive blue and black hind wings Clifden Nonpareil, a large grey moth with impressive blue and black hind wings
September 25, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Reposted by Richard Sutton
helsinkibirder.bsky.social
😂
September 20, 2025 at 4:45 PM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
Ok everyone is there any help with this one out there, I think this large ( c.2 cm ) and striking insect could be a Tenthredo but I admit I am struggling so any ID suggestions appreciated. Seen in North Staffs at the weekend

@dipteristsforum.bsky.social
A large slim black and yellow fly with silvery wings and long antenna sitting amongst green leaves A large slim black and yellow fly with silvery wings and long antenna sitting amongst green leaves A large slim black and yellow fly with silvery wings and long antenna sitting amongst green leaves
August 27, 2025 at 4:52 AM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
Another new species for my Mum’s garden today, Red-thighed St Mark's Fly - Bibio pomonae
August 21, 2025 at 7:56 PM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
A very pleasant day trip to Nottinghamshire yesterday and 3 flys that I don’t often record were the highlight, 2 hoverfly and 1 Tachinid.
Ferdinandea cuprea, Dasysyrphus tricinctus and
Phasia hemiptera
Ferdinandea cuprea, a hoverfly with a brassy looking abdomen, grey stripes on its thorax and two wing 'clouds' on each wing Dasysyrphus tricinctus, a mostly back hoverfly with 3 bands of yellow on the abdomen in a distinctive pattern Phasia hemiptera, a very dark Tachinid fly with deep red eyes and a dark and light pattern on its wings
August 17, 2025 at 8:57 AM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
Work moth of the day today was this Lesser Swallow Prominent, Pheosia gnoma almost 4 years to the day since i found Swallow Prominent in the same spot
#teammoth
August 12, 2025 at 11:31 AM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
The latest in a long list of amazing insects I have found in my Mum’s wonderful garden - Ferruginous Bee-Grabber, Sicus ferrugineus
😁
Ferruginous Bee-Grabber, Sicus ferrugineus a dark red fly with a yellow face and an abdomen that curls forwards under the rest of the body feeding on a bright purple Scabious flower Ferruginous Bee-Grabber, Sicus ferrugineus a dark red fly with a yellow face and an abdomen that curls forwards under the rest of the body feeding on a bright purple Scabious flower Ferruginous Bee-Grabber, Sicus ferrugineus a dark red fly with a yellow face and an abdomen that curls forwards under the rest of the body feeding on a bright purple Scabious flower Ferruginous Bee-Grabber, Sicus ferrugineus a dark red fly with a yellow face and an abdomen that curls forwards under the rest of the body feeding on a bright purple Scabious flower
July 25, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Reposted by Richard Sutton
philj61.bsky.social
Darn good Day in Dorset😎 Scarlet Darter, Wasp Spider & Grass Snake pic by @rjsutton1975.bsky.social and a first for Staffs to come home to trapped by my mothing mate @nickpom9.bsky.social
July 17, 2025 at 7:52 PM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
Work moth of the day today was this female Ghost Moth, Hepialus humuli a nice surprise as I walked out onto the yard for the first time #teammoth
Ghost Moth, Hepialus humuli a very attractive orange moth with intricate darker lines and blotches and a furry thorax
July 11, 2025 at 7:28 PM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
Spent some time watching this fabulous Pied Hoverfly - Scaeva pyrastri in a North Staffs garden this afternoon 🙂
Pied Hoverfly - Scaeva pyrastri a good sized black and white Hoverfly with 3 curved white bars on its tail and silvery wings held spread to either side Pied Hoverfly - Scaeva pyrastri a good sized black and white Hoverfly this time with a head on view
July 9, 2025 at 8:04 PM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
As pretty as any butterfly - Latticed Heath, Chiasmia clathrata from yesterday.

#TeamMoth
Latticed Heath, Chiasmia clathrata a pretty little moth mainly white but with an intricate pattern of black checks and lines
July 6, 2025 at 10:12 AM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
A new hoverfly for me on Thursday, Eristalis intricaria, another of the bumblebee mimics and this one quite convincing as mimics go 🙂
A black and white hoverfly feeding on a purple Scabious flower A black and white hoverfly feeding on a purple Scabious flower A black and white hoverfly feeding on a purple Scabious flower
July 5, 2025 at 11:35 AM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
White-letter hairstreak found last weekend in Staffordshire. Only the third I have ever seen and my first self found- happy days! 😀
A small dark grey butterfly with distinctive white streaks on both wings and an orange border to the hind wing, 2 white tipped tails also on the hind wing. This one is feeding from a bramble flower
July 1, 2025 at 11:33 AM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
June has been particularly good for reptiles and amphibians this year, 5 days in Hamps/Dorset certainly helped with 3 lizard species seen during this break plus Adder and Grass Snake. Then the following weekend a Slow Worm was found in Shropshire.
Sand Lizard, a small brown lizard with stripes running down its back and dark spots with a white centres along its flank. Common Lizard, another small lizard again with pale stripes down its back but also a rich brown stripe down its flank which extends to form a mask around the eye Wall Lizard, a larger lizard with a long tail. Bright green in colour but with black areas around its eye and chin Slow Worm. A legless lizard resembling a small snake, it is bronzy brown all over and this one is hiding its head in moss
June 29, 2025 at 2:40 PM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
By my standards last night was a good catch with NFL Figure of Eighty - Tethea ocularis and NFG Pebble Hook-tip -Drepana falcataria being the highlights also Clouded Border - Lomaspilis marinate are always pretty 🙂 #TeamMoth
Figure of Eighty an attractive brown moth with a white mark resembling the number 80 on each wing Figure of Eighty an attractive brown moth with a white mark resembling the number 80 on each wing Pebble Hook-tip another attractive moth with hooked wing tips and an orange colour Clouded Border a pretty little moth mainly white but with a dark grey border
June 15, 2025 at 2:57 PM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
Another visit and another 2 species recorded for my Mum’s garden 🙂. Figwort Weevil - Cionus scrophulariae which I have just found out also feeds on Buddleja and the hoverfly Platycheirus granditarsus
Figwort Weevil - Cionus scrophularia a tiny grey beetle with a black dot in the centre feeding on a Buddleja flower head Figwort Weevil - Cionus scrophularia a tiny grey beetle with a black dot in the centre feeding on a Buddleja flower head Platycheirus granditarsus a small shiny hoverfly with an orange tail and glossy head and thorax Platycheirus granditarsus a small shiny hoverfly with an orange tail and glossy head and thorax
June 13, 2025 at 7:29 PM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
Not a great night’s mothing last night with only a handful visiting the trap but Dusky Brocade, Apamea remissa was new for the garden. #teammoth
Dusky Brocade, Apamea remissa an attractive mottled grey moth taken against a red tile background
June 12, 2025 at 8:49 PM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
It’s been a great week for insect in my Mum’s garden this week with 2 NFG Narcissus Bulb Fly - Merodon equestris and Meadow Plant Bug - Leptopterna dolabrata plus a new for life Fork Tailed Flower Bee - Anthophora furcata
Fork Tailed Flower Bee - Anthophora furcata a grey and ginger bee with a yellow face Fork Tailed Flower Bee - Anthophora furcata a grey and ginger bee with a yellow face Narcissus Bulb Fly - Merodon equestris a black and orange hoverfly that is an excellent mimic for a bumblebee Meadow Plant Bug - Leptopterna dolabrata a small black and yellow bug perched face down on a grass stem
June 12, 2025 at 7:54 PM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
On a mini break to the New Forest area and ran the moth trap last night. Nothing outstanding with 18/11 but best for me was Brussels Lace, Cleorodes lichenaria which we just don’t get back home
#teamMoth
Brussels Lace, Cleorodes lichenaria an intricately patterned grey, gold and black moth with it’s wings spread wide to the sides
June 3, 2025 at 11:17 AM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
A case of plant it and they will come today when I found this Tephritis neesii on the Oxeye daisies, we only seeded these daisies in the garden 3 years ago and this is the food plant for this fly 🙂
A very small grey fly with black patterning on its wings sitting on a green stem of Oxeye Daisy A very small grey fly with black patterning on its wings sitting on a green stem of Oxeye Daisy
May 30, 2025 at 6:55 PM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
Not something you see everyday, a queen Tree Bumblebee - Bombus hypnorum plus 2 suitors
A queen Tree Bumblebee - Bombus hypnorum with 2 male Tree Bumblebee trying to mate with her amongst green leaves. All bees are black with gingery brown backs and a white tail.
May 22, 2025 at 4:29 PM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
Some recent insects found at my Mum’s garden, it really is remarkable the diversity of insects to be found in this suburban garden. Narcissus Bulb Fly - Merodon equestris, Woundwort Shieldbug -
Eysarcoris venustissimus and Common Blue Damselfly - Enallagma cyathigerum
Narcissus Bulb Fly - Merodon equestris, a black bodied hoverfly with a ginger collar and white tail Woundwort Shieldbug, 2 bronze coloured bugs attached together at the rear sitting on a green leaf Common Blue Damselfly - Enallagma cyathigerum a long slim insect with pale blue bands down its tail
May 17, 2025 at 3:49 PM
rjsutton1975.bsky.social
2 excellent beetles from the weekend just gone. An impressive Lesser stag beetle - Dorcus parallelipipedus and the ever popular Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn - Agapanthia villosoviridescens. Both found in Staffordshire
Lesser Stag Beetle, an impressive black beetle with strong jaws against a background of pale wood Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle, a yellow and black beetle with long black and white banded antennae sitting on a green nettle leaf
May 13, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Reposted by Richard Sutton
staffsmammalgroup.bsky.social
Our next event is Small Mammal Trapping Wolseley SWT (with WATCH group)
10/5/25-11/5/25

Meet at Staffs Wildlife Trust HQ car park

First check 9am Sat 10th

check and reset traps 8pm Sat 10th

Final check 9am Sun 11th

Grid ref SK024203
Postcode ST17 0WT
www.staffordshiremammalgroup.org/new-events
Events — Staffordshire Mammal Group
www.staffordshiremammalgroup.org
May 8, 2025 at 8:41 PM