David Coles
@wild-dave.bsky.social
Retired power station engineer. Love all things wild, volunteering and relaxing outside . Always looking for a ground beetle and currently helping to build a new garden at Shugborough Hall. Only 80,000 plants to put in. Recording wildlife wherever I go.
Two new species for me this weekend. Didea fasciata and Necrodes littoralis. 😁
August 31, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Two new species for me this weekend. Didea fasciata and Necrodes littoralis. 😁
This Carabus problematicus didn't seem to like me. Biting into my finger and vomiting on me at the same time.
August 22, 2025 at 9:47 PM
This Carabus problematicus didn't seem to like me. Biting into my finger and vomiting on me at the same time.
From last night my best arrival at the light trap this year Macronychus quadrituberculatus. Not recorded in Staffordshire since 1867. @colsocbi.bsky.social
August 14, 2025 at 10:26 AM
From last night my best arrival at the light trap this year Macronychus quadrituberculatus. Not recorded in Staffordshire since 1867. @colsocbi.bsky.social
Even a car park can look nice in the right light.
July 29, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Even a car park can look nice in the right light.
In January 2017 I spotted this apparently male mallard on the right in the first image. I realised at the time it appeared to have a female bill and the colouring on its head was obviously different from a typical male.🧵
July 29, 2025 at 7:55 AM
In January 2017 I spotted this apparently male mallard on the right in the first image. I realised at the time it appeared to have a female bill and the colouring on its head was obviously different from a typical male.🧵
The heritahe variety fruit trees in the orchard at Staffs Wildlife Trust headquarters are all heaving with fruit. Damsons and plums not ready just yet but still look tasty.
July 28, 2025 at 2:12 PM
The heritahe variety fruit trees in the orchard at Staffs Wildlife Trust headquarters are all heaving with fruit. Damsons and plums not ready just yet but still look tasty.
Yum yum first lot of runner beans for dinner.
July 15, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Yum yum first lot of runner beans for dinner.
All of a buzz this morning!
July 10, 2025 at 8:38 AM
All of a buzz this morning!
Sowed a few Crimson flax in the garden this year. The colour on them looks almost unreal. 🌺
June 29, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Sowed a few Crimson flax in the garden this year. The colour on them looks almost unreal. 🌺
The only rime I've found a book on Beetles in a charity shop. 😁
June 26, 2025 at 9:59 AM
The only rime I've found a book on Beetles in a charity shop. 😁
Getting quite chunky feeding on a Figwort in my garden, moved from my Verbascum which I wanted to see the flowers on. Can't be long before it pupates.
June 23, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Getting quite chunky feeding on a Figwort in my garden, moved from my Verbascum which I wanted to see the flowers on. Can't be long before it pupates.
Checking some plans that were stood in trays of water, because of the weather, and found this fab Carabus granulatus. Nice unexpected find.
June 21, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Checking some plans that were stood in trays of water, because of the weather, and found this fab Carabus granulatus. Nice unexpected find.
Fab to spot this small frog I my half barrel pond today only about 30 to 40mm so one of last years I imagine.
June 16, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Fab to spot this small frog I my half barrel pond today only about 30 to 40mm so one of last years I imagine.
My wife happens to be Coeliac and is always glad if there's a scone she can have when we visit a @nationaltrust.bsky.social site. But I think she did ha e a bit ofscone envy today at Tatton Park. Her scone is on the right.
April 1, 2025 at 2:44 PM
My wife happens to be Coeliac and is always glad if there's a scone she can have when we visit a @nationaltrust.bsky.social site. But I think she did ha e a bit ofscone envy today at Tatton Park. Her scone is on the right.
Bumblebees on Crocuses must mean spring is almost here.
February 25, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Bumblebees on Crocuses must mean spring is almost here.
The annual Staffordshire invertebrate science is at Staffordshire University again on 1st March 2025.
January 20, 2025 at 8:15 PM
The annual Staffordshire invertebrate science is at Staffordshire University again on 1st March 2025.
Best beetle of the year for me was Pterostichus quadrifoveolatus. A new ground beetle for me and a species that is nationally scarce in the UK. I knew there was a chance of finding it on Cannock chase and was so amazed when I found not one but three of them within 3 metres of each other.
December 31, 2024 at 4:34 PM
Best beetle of the year for me was Pterostichus quadrifoveolatus. A new ground beetle for me and a species that is nationally scarce in the UK. I knew there was a chance of finding it on Cannock chase and was so amazed when I found not one but three of them within 3 metres of each other.
This draw was open for about a minute.
December 6, 2024 at 9:25 PM
This draw was open for about a minute.
Almost the twin of our Mika she's 7 next May.
December 6, 2024 at 2:21 PM
Almost the twin of our Mika she's 7 next May.
I guess this means I'll have to at least try to have a go at a few Aleocharinae in the new year. Challenge ahead.
December 5, 2024 at 12:25 PM
I guess this means I'll have to at least try to have a go at a few Aleocharinae in the new year. Challenge ahead.
Had some fun at a stained glass workshop yesterday. New tree ornament for this year. Made using, what I learned was, the Tiffany method.
December 5, 2024 at 8:59 AM
Had some fun at a stained glass workshop yesterday. New tree ornament for this year. Made using, what I learned was, the Tiffany method.
Reminders of Summer are always nice at this time of year. I was very lucky in 1996 to see the results of a mass migration into the UK of Painted lady butterflies. Walking at Ynys-hir a carpet of them flew up around me, I've no idea how many there were, it was like being in a Disney movie. Amazing!!
November 30, 2024 at 11:35 AM
Reminders of Summer are always nice at this time of year. I was very lucky in 1996 to see the results of a mass migration into the UK of Painted lady butterflies. Walking at Ynys-hir a carpet of them flew up around me, I've no idea how many there were, it was like being in a Disney movie. Amazing!!
This was the first butterfly I saw this year. A Peacock on 15th February and was my earliest record, starting to wonder when I'll see my first butterfly next year.
November 28, 2024 at 11:34 AM
This was the first butterfly I saw this year. A Peacock on 15th February and was my earliest record, starting to wonder when I'll see my first butterfly next year.
Spotted quite a few of these Cassida larvae this summer. Once you get your eye in they're fairly easy to spot. The shield made from faeces always fascinates me.
November 26, 2024 at 7:22 AM
Spotted quite a few of these Cassida larvae this summer. Once you get your eye in they're fairly easy to spot. The shield made from faeces always fascinates me.
Not exactly the kind of Owl I'd have liked to see in the trees today. Staffordshire, UK.
November 24, 2024 at 12:16 PM
Not exactly the kind of Owl I'd have liked to see in the trees today. Staffordshire, UK.