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lasdstudio.bsky.social
How Do Gardens in Commercial Places Nurture Wildlife and Biodiversity? Visit our website for more details>> tinyurl.com/5485rppn

#gardenforwildlife #biodiversitygarden #wildlifefriendlygarden #pollinatorgarden #nativeplants #greeninfrastructure #sustainablegardens #urbanbiodiversity #natureatwork
December 26, 2025 at 11:25 AM
lasdstudio.bsky.social
How Naturalistic Garden Design Helps to Restore Ecosystems! Read this blog for more details>> tinyurl.com/4tj7zk2h

#naturalisticgardendesign #ecologicalgarden #nativeplantlandscaping #sustainablegardening #biodiversitygarden #wildlifefriendlygarden #environmentallandscape #natureinspireddesign #USA
December 13, 2025 at 10:34 AM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
The Rowan berries are ripening on the tree we planted a few years ago.
#WildlifeFriendlyGarden
A cluster of orange-red Rowan berries in close up with green leaves in the background.
July 16, 2025 at 1:32 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
Sound on for fledgling Swifts! After waiting 4 years and lots of guessing and hoping, one of our nest boxes has been used to rear two chicks who fledged this morning! Until we saw them today we weren't even sure there were chicks, so we're delighted!
#Swift #WildlifeFriendlyGarden #RedList
July 11, 2025 at 2:27 PM
lizzoom.bsky.social
First time we've spotted a hedgehog in the garden for years! So chuffed. #WildlifeFriendlyGarden
June 24, 2025 at 9:16 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
Can you see its head? A few years ago I created a place especially for Slowworms, having continually to leave compost or chippings bins because Slowworms were in residence. It's worked pretty well for them, and I've even found a sloughed skin in there.
#WildlifeFriendlyGarden #Slowworm
A surface of copper brown, dead leaves, some curled, with a Slowworm just visible here and there between the leaves. Wildlife refuge made of red clay, Roman-style roof tiles and slatted wood.
June 17, 2025 at 4:38 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
Last night, after drinking the birds' water, the snails trashed the borlotti beans. #WildlifeFriendlyGarden
June 12, 2025 at 1:36 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
We are lucky to have Slowworms in the garden, so know to keep an eye out for them. This young male took his time to slither across the step.
#WildlifeFriendlyGarden #reptile
A Slowworm snakes across stone paving, some green weeds growing in the cracks, a brown, desiccated vine leaf at the top of the image.
June 11, 2025 at 12:39 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
The neighbouring box we put up seems to have House Sparrows, so I hope the Swifts don't mind noisy neighbours. #Swifts #WildlifeFriendlyGarden
May 28, 2025 at 8:54 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
This beautiful little hoverfly visited the garden today. I did buy a book on hoverflies but promised not to get sucked in, but I had to check this stunner out. I think it's Xanthogramma pedissequum
#WildlifeFriendlyGarden #Hoverfly #Syrphidae #Diptera #Flies #Insect
Smart black and yellow Hoverfly sitting on a small pale flower against an out-of-focus pale green background.
May 26, 2025 at 7:59 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
I know I'm not supposed to be getting into wasps, but this is such a stunning creature! I'm guessing it's a male Ichneumon possibly I. stramentor. Can anyone help me with the ID? #WildlifeFriendlyGarden #Ichneumonidae #SolitaryWasp #insect #Hymenoptera
Black wasp with the front two tergites of its long abdomen a striking yellow. There is another yellow dot on its thorax and yellow sections to its legs it has long antennae and narrow wings folded over its legs but not over its body. It rests on a green leaf in the sunshine with a clear shadow of its form on the leaf.
May 26, 2025 at 5:25 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
First Scarlet Tiger, Callimorpha dominula, in the garden this year. There have been plenty of caterpillars so I am hoping for a good showing of adults. #WildlifeFriendlyGarden #Lepidoptera #Moths
Dark, inky green-blue moth with cream spots across its wings, resting on green leaves. The wings form a shallow delta, the underwings are not visible.
May 26, 2025 at 1:23 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
Been to the river this morning to do our Riverfly sampling for @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social Pleased to see lots of Cased Caddisflies (shown) as well as great numbers of Flat-bodied and Olives. Large numbers of small, young Bullheads too.
#wildlifefriendlygarden #CitizenScience #river #invertebrates
May 26, 2025 at 11:20 AM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
I'm so pleased we left a large patch of Red Dead Nettle beneath the kale as it has attracted Moss Carder Bees, Anthidium manicatum. #WildlifeFriendlyGarden #SolitaryBees #Bees #Pollinators
May 25, 2025 at 2:05 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
A Snipe Fly dropped by while I was planting out some beans. I have no idea of its scientific binomial, and I'm trying not to let my brain go chasing an ID, as I'm supposed to be focusing on solitary bees! Maybe someone would care to enlighten me?
#insect #flies #WildlifeFriendlyGarden
May 19, 2025 at 6:01 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
Here's a Ruby-tailed Wasp that was hanging around the solitary bee nesting facility. I guess it's probably Chrysis ignita, but no doubt someone will correct me if not.
#CuckooWasp #SolitaryWasp #Insects #Hymenoptera #WildlifeFriendlyGarden
May 19, 2025 at 5:58 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
I thought I saw one yesterday: today I had a chance to see him clearly. A male Early Bumblebee, Bombus pratorum, feeding on the thyme flowers.
#WildlifeFriendlyGarden #Bombus #bees #Bumblebee
May 19, 2025 at 3:45 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
First Wool Carder Bee, Anthidium manicatum, I've seen this year. I'm so glad we left a patch of red dead nettle under the kale: it's been attractive to a wide range of species. #WildlifeFriendlyGarden #SolitaryBees
Close up of striking bee with a wide, dark brown body. The head has a clump of yellow hairs on its face and two elegant antennae. The thorax is ringed by pale cream hairs. The abdomen has four yellow spots down each side, but only one side is clearly visible in the photograph. There is a hint of yellow hairs showing from the underside. The legs are the same dark brown as the body, adorned with yellow spots at the joints, and pale cream hair covering the tarsi. The bee is resting on green leaves and feeding from a small pink flower.
May 15, 2025 at 6:22 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
Not what I expected to see in our new solitary bee nest provision! I think it might be a male Crossocerus vagabundus, Wandering Boxhead Wasp, but I'd really appreciate any help as my wasp ID skills are very poor.
#wasp #SolitaryWasp #Hymenoptera #WildlifeFriendlyGarden #BeeHotel
May 7, 2025 at 4:58 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
This Hairy-footed Flower Bee, Anthophora plumipes, is enjoying feeding on the Red Dead Nettle we have left to grow under the perennial kale, where it's been gathering pollen to stock its nest.
#WildlifeFriendlyGarden #Insects #SolitaryBees
May 3, 2025 at 7:51 AM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
There's a lot of male Red Mason Bees about waiting for the chance to mate. This guy is so neat and smart, I'm sure the females won't be able to resist.
#insect #bee #Osmia #SolitaryBees #Hymenoptera #WildlifeFriendlyGarden
Close up of a small male bee resting against pale yellow coloured wood. The bee has long black antennae and a black head with red hair at the front. The thorax is dark with sparse red hairs. The abdomen is coppery red with orange-red hairs. The wings are folded back but rest at the sides not over the abdomen. The legs are dark nearer the thorax but red towards the ends.
April 30, 2025 at 11:41 AM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
The Red Mason Bee, Osmia bicornis, females have only shown up on our garden in the last few days. This female has been claimed by the male on her back, who hung on despite being repeatedly assailed by other males for more than an hour.
#WildlifeFriendlyGarden #SolitaryBees #Osmia #Hymenoptera
Embracing Red Mason Bees. A hairy male bee is holding on the back of a larger female, whose abdomen has bands of red-ginger hairs even bigger than the male.
April 29, 2025 at 8:09 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
As part of an ongoing series of helping insects out of the greenhouse, poly tunnel, etc, here is a rather beautiful Furrow Bee, probably Halictus rubicundus, the Orange-legged Furrow Bee.
#WildlifeFriendlyGarden #SolitaryBees #Halictidae #Hymenoptera
Close up of bee resting on human finger in sunshine, with a dark green background. The bee has black antennae and eye on a face with pale brownish hairs. Its thorax has reddish hairs on a dark brown scutum and scutellum. Its wings are folded back over its abdomen, which is dark brown with stripes of yellow-brown hairs on the trailing edges of the tergites. A notable feature of the bee is its legs, which are quite hairy and yellow. In this case the amount of yellow is increased by a large quantity of pollen on its hind legs and, to a lesser extent, its middle legs and body.
April 29, 2025 at 7:51 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
The male Red Mason Bees, Osmia bicornis, are hanging out in possible nest sites for the females to make an appearance!
#WildlifeFriendlyGarden #bees #SolitaryBees #Hymenoptera #Osmia
End face of a small log with holes drilled in, two of which have the faces of small bees looking out. The bees have black eyes and white moustaches.
April 29, 2025 at 6:00 PM
davidsmithartist.bsky.social
This queen wasp has been collecting wood pulp from the workshop for a week or so. She has also been in and out of the new solitary bee nest provision, presumably taking fresh sawdust (drilling dust) from the holes.
#WildlifeFriendlyGarden #wasp #insect #Hymenoptera #vespa
April 29, 2025 at 1:32 PM