Andrew McGleish
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scotsguyinwales.bsky.social
Andrew McGleish
@scotsguyinwales.bsky.social
500 followers 850 following 47 posts
Noticer of lifeforms but trying to focus on Hoverflies and Bees. Retired, so volunteering, enjoying being a papa, recording wildlife and learning. South Wales now. Lefty.
Music, books, art, nature.
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scotsguyinwales.bsky.social
Great day out at Kenfig NNR with the Entomology team from National Museum Wales Cardiff. The highlight for me was this Sand Bear Spider, Arctosa perita. You can see how well camouflaged it is against the sand.

@britishspiders.bsky.social #spiders #arachnids #invertebrates #wales #cymru #kenfig
A Sand Bear Spider, Arctosa perita, showing how perfectly camouflaged it is against the sand. Seen today at Kenfig National Nature Reserve in Glamorgan, Wales.
June 9, 2025 at 9:46 PM
scotsguyinwales.bsky.social
And we did, but not many in the cloudy windy weather. This Sericomyia silentis was the showiest of the day, and waited till back at the car park. I see I've even got a selfie in the reflection.
@sewbrec.org.uk @dipteristsforum.bsky.social

#Hoverflies #Syrphidae #Diptera #Sericomyia
A Hoverfly, Sericomyia silentis, showing well, sitting on a leaf with my reflection on its thorax
May 27, 2025 at 8:18 AM
scotsguyinwales.bsky.social
This, I believe, is the proper way to regard the Fan-bristled Robberfly, Dysmachus trigonus, on a sunny day at Kenfig National Nature Reserve.

#Invertebrates #Diptera #Asilidae #Robberflies #Wales #Cymru #SandsOfLife
A Robberfly, Dysmachus trigonus, aka the Fan-bristled Robberfly, being held reverently high whilst being examined for identification purposes. At Kenfig National Nature Reserve, a sand dunes reserve in South Wales known for a great range of Invertebrates.
May 15, 2025 at 7:51 PM
scotsguyinwales.bsky.social
Myathropa florea, female, aka the Batman Hoverfly. First of the year for me, but expect to see many more in the months ahead
Seen on the South Wales coast today.

One of my favourite Hoverflies, just don't ask how many favourites I have.

#Syrphidae #Hoverflies #Invertebrates #Diptera #Wales #Cymru
A Hoverfly, Myathropa florea, also known as the Batman Hoverfly because of the "bat signal" shape on the thorax. Feeding on the flowers of Alexanders, Smyrnium olusatrum. A Hoverfly, Myathropa florea, also known as the Batman Hoverfly because of the "bat signal" shape on the thorax. Feeding on the flowers of Alexanders, Smyrnium olusatrum.
April 23, 2025 at 9:01 PM
scotsguyinwales.bsky.social
Good week for flying things on my fingers. My first ever Bombylius discolor, Dotted Bee-Fly. Then a male Andrena nitida, Grey Patched Mining Bee, part of a huge nesting aggregation of Mining Bees in the middle of Cardiff.

#Invertebrate #Bees #Bee-Flies #Andrena #Bombylius #Cymru #Wales #Caerdydd
A male Grey-patched Mining Bee, Andrena nitida, from a huge nesting aggregation of Mining Bees a park in the middle of Cardiff. It appeared to be testing, and climbed on my hand when offered. Dotted Bee-Fly, Bombylius discolor, an uncommon insect, and my first. Seen on the South Wales coast.
April 9, 2025 at 8:50 PM
scotsguyinwales.bsky.social
A lovely little Sandpit Mining Bee, Andrena barbilabris posing on my finger at Kenfig National Nature Reserve yesterday. Plenty of males like him in evidence patrolling low along the paths.

#Kenfig #Cymru #Wales #Invertebrates #Bees
A male Sandpit Mining Bee, Andrena barbilabris on a human finger. Seen at Kenfig National Nature Reserve in South Wales.
April 4, 2025 at 10:21 AM
scotsguyinwales.bsky.social
This female Kestrel was very tolerant of me creeping towards her. I'm sure she's used to people walking the coastal path.
#birdingwales #ukbirding #naturephotography #birds #bluesky #ukwildlife #birdsofprey #wildlife #photography #Cymru #ValeOfGlamorgan #WalesCoastPath #LlwybrArfordirCymru
Female Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus sitting on Wales Coast Path sign with Welsh/Cymraeg language visible Female Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus sitting on Wales Coast Path sign with Welsh/Cymraeg and English language wording. Also a bilingual Cymraeg/English WhatThreeWords location
February 5, 2025 at 7:46 PM
scotsguyinwales.bsky.social
Middle of winter? Of course Wild Angelica will be flowering, eh? Seen at #Kenfig NNR last Friday #WildFlowerHour #Wales #Cymru
Wild Angelica in full flower in the middle of Winter at Kenfig National Nature Reserve in Wales. Wild Angelica in full flower in the middle of Winter at Kenfig National Nature Reserve in Wales. Leaves of Wild Angelica
January 19, 2025 at 5:37 PM
scotsguyinwales.bsky.social
I was very surprised to find these eggs of Orgyia antiqua, aka Rusty Tussock, Vapourer Moth or Siobyn at #Kenfig NNR today. I must have walked past them dozens of times.
#Invertebrates #Moths #Wales #Cymru
A batch of eggs from the moth Orgyia antiqua, also known as the Rusty Tussock or Vapourer. Cymraeg: Siobyn. Seen today at Kenfig National Nature Reserve in Wales. The eggs are laid on the cocoon that the flightless female adult emerged from.
January 19, 2025 at 4:48 PM
scotsguyinwales.bsky.social
Looking in the leaf litter with my granddaughter, we turned up a Birch Shieldbug, Elasmostethus interstinctus. #BryngarwPark
#hexapodecember #hemiptera
A Birch Shieldbug, Elasmostethus interstinctus, found in leaf litter
December 29, 2024 at 5:15 PM
scotsguyinwales.bsky.social
Wild variations in my Spotify wrap for 2024, comes with being a papa. #Spotify #playlists
Top five artists and tracks on Spotify for 2024 shows wild variations. Stravinsky, Strauss, BBC Philharmonic, Dergatchev and Beethoven, versus "Take me home country roads" "Highway to Hell" "Coulter's Candy" and two Philip Glasstracks. Sometimes being a papa comes first.
December 5, 2024 at 8:46 PM