Martin Harvey

Just hoping the hairy-footed flower bee I saw yesterday is hunkered down against the rain today 😬

We're trialling something new this year at the BSBI - an activity designed to support absolute beginner botanists with identifying *and* recording their first ever 100 plants in 2026 🌿

If you know anyone that might like to take part then please spread the word:

bsbi.org/take-part/ac...

Blimey....sun! 🌞And sun = insects. Dermestes murinus, Sitona lineatus, Oulema sp. and Acericerus ribauti at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve today. Going to be dull and sleety from tomorrow, but today was enjoyable. 🙂@ynuorg.bsky.social #ukwildlife

Author interview with Steven J Falk: A Photographic Guide to Flies of Britain & Ireland Over recent decades various ‘difficult’ insect groups have gradually been brought within reach of the non-specialist thanks to developments in field guides. Flies, however, have remained something of ...

A chance to learn more about production of this fabulous new guide to #FliesofBritainandIreland with Steven Falk 👏🪰😊@naturebureau.bsky.social

www.nhbs.com/blog/author-...

Did you see this recent paper Sarah? peerj.com/articles/207...

The cover of the latest Transactions of the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society with a photo of Purple Broomrape on the cover on a cliff top with blue sea beyond.

Double page spread of Transactions with photographs and information on several species of urban aphids.

Double page spread of Transactions with photographs and information on several species of urban aphids.

Latest NNNS Transactions arrived today. Fabulous article on urban aphids. It's amazing the number of species @norwichbirder.bsky.social finds on his way to and from work. If only we took the time to stop and stare, there are amazing invertebrates to see just about anywhere.

Indicia (inc SEWBReCORD) is offline for scheduled maintenance this evening:

UKCEH will be carrying out maintenance on its IT infrastructure, unfortunately this means that iRecord and other Indicia systems are likely to be offline at the following times:

Friday 13 February 2026
16:30 – 18:30

Join us for this year's YNU Conference on Saturday 21st March at The Priory Street Centre, York: 'Recording Yorkshire's natural history - beyond ‘The State of Yorkshire's Nature’ report'. Purchase your tickets here: www.ynu.org.uk/join-the-ynu... or contact membership@ynu.org.uk.

How lichen hold the secret to a breath of fresh air An app uses lichen to help monitor air quality in places like the New Forest.

😍 Great to see some lichen love from April Windle of the @britishlichensociety.org.uk, plus our own Bill Bealey explaining how our LicheN app is used for measuring sensitivity to nitrogen pollution

Featured on BBC News ⤵️

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... 🧪

On this day in 1809, Charles Darwin, author of 'On the Origin of Species', was born

The humble Peppered Moth is one of the best-known examples of evolution by natural selection, Darwin's great discovery, and is often referred to as 'Darwin's moth'. 💡

#DarwinDay #MothsMatter #TeamMoth

Just 3 days left to get your hands on a copy of our new guide to #FliesofBritainandIreland at the pre-pub price bit.ly/4dqQI8Z – delivery expected to us by 21 Feb 2026 @rdimond.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social

Fellow Dipterists / systematists / ecologists, if you have not yet heard, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada is planning to eliminate the Diptera Unit at the Canadian National Collection of Insects, supposedly for financial reasons. The open letter below has been prepared by Dr. Art Borkent. If you agree with the letter, and would like to add your name in support, please follow the directions below. Message is as follows: ********************* The following is an “Open Letter” that will be presented to the Canadian press by a Member of Parliament, Ms. Elizabeth May. If you can support this petition, please send your name, full affiliation and address (including country) to Art Borkent’s email: artborkent@telus.net Your name will be added to a supporting list that will likely never be seen publicly but needs to be noted by our member of parliament. Please consider helping to stop the removal of the Diptera Unit in Ottawa, Canada. Please remember that we are writing this for the press – someone gave advice that it should be written at about the level of an intelligent 14 year old. If any of you are members of another society of specialized Dipterists or otherwise, please feel free to send this on to your other colleagues. I am hoping to have this submitted to Elizabeth May with all the signatures by Friday, Feb. 13. Time is of the essence. best wishes, Art Borkent and David Grimaldi

(Message too long for alt-text): the text of the first page of an open letter to support keeping the Diptera Unit open at the Canadian National Collection of Insects and Nematodes.

(Message too long for alt-text): the text of the second page of an open letter to support keeping the Diptera Unit open at the Canadian National Collection of Insects and Nematodes.

A sampling of output from the Diptera Unit at the CNC

From Chris Borkent: Fellow Dipterists/systematists/ecologists: Agri./Agri-Food Canada plans to eliminate the Diptera Unit at the Canadian National Collection of Insects. Dr. Art Borkent has prepared an open letter to support keeping the unit open. To sign, please read & follow the instructions here.

Who watches the worms? Motivation and (non-)participation in a contributory citizen science project - BMC Ecology and Evolution BMC Ecology and Evolution - Citizen science projects rely on public participation to generate data and promote engagement with science. However, little is known about the motivations of individuals...

My paper with @andypurvisnhm.bsky.social @dralanjones.bsky.social et al. on our Earthworm Watch 🪱 #citizenscience project @nhm-london.bsky.social & @earthwatcheurope.bsky.social is out! We examined motivations of those who did, and importantly, those who didn't, take part doi.org/10.1186/s128...

On this day that supports inclusive futures for women and girls in science, let's not forget all the women that were sidelined, ignored, or forced out of science because they:
- had children
- prioritised family/caring
- did science differently
- questioned boundaries & norms
- fought the patriarchy

Pleasantly surprised to spot this newly emerged male Black Oil Beetle (Meloe proscarabaeus) when walking near Blackmill, Bridgend, today.

I think this is my earliest Black Oil Beetle record!

You can tell he is newly emerged as his abdomen hasn't yet expanded to the typical oil beetle shape.

Dipterists Day 2025 - YouTube Recordings of talks from Dipterists Day 2025, held at the University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge on Saturday 15th November.

As requested by many, here's the link to our YouTube channel with the recordings from the excellent Dipterist Day 2025 in Cambridge youtube.com/playlist?lis...
@davebriceflies.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @lancefly.bsky.social @naturebureau.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social Please share 🙏

Green Leaf-hopper, Cicadella viridis. Male left, female right.

Leafhoppers & Allies: identification, ecology and recording - Alan Stewart
Thursday 19/02/2026, 19:30, online via Zoom
Book here: www.naturespot.org/node/262956
#Bugs #Hemiptera #VC55 #Auchenorrhyncha
Please share!

MapMate Users!

The MapMate Taxa Library is no longer supports updates via patches. Updates are now available via a new, downloadable TaxaLibrary.MDB file. This file is containing the latest updates is now available to download from mapmate.info/taxalibrary..... #MapMate

Martin Townsend and I are drafting an article for the Ent. Record about Paranthrene tabaniformis D(usky Clearwing), including its rediscovery at Tubney, Berkshire. Literature searches since Marc Botham’s article have only come up with Colin Plant’s follow-up and 2 pieces by David >>> #MothsMatter

Hairy-footed Flower Bee photographed on a windowsill.

A totally unexpected year tick! This Hairy-footed Flower Bee was buzzing around the lounge. It is usually Chocolate Mining Bees that we see inside thanks to our shallow foundations. My earliest ever record. 08.02.2026. Norfolk, England.

Copy arrived this week and it is fabulous, opens up a whole new world of interest. Absolutely in awe of author Martin Drake for putting it all together. It's pricey, shame the publishers couldn't have found a way of subsidising it more, but it contains priceless expertise and years of hard work.

Just reposted on my own website my two recent Beth Chatto blogs about the Gardens' outreach sites and the insects they support
www.chrisgibsonwildlife.co.uk/beth-chatto-...

Pharmacophagy in insects: Ecological and evolutionary perspectives on the non‐nutritional use of plant specialized metabolites Insects interact with plants not only for nutrition but also to actively seek plant specialized metabolites (PSMs) for chemical defense, reproduction, and self-medication—a behavior known as pharmaco...

Did you know? Insects eat plants as medicine. #OpenAccess
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Ordered last June, arrived Tuesday, finished last night. A book I needed years ago. Absolutely terrific and if you’re early in your naturalist phase an essential read I would say. One that won’t go on the shelf but to reread and dip into, especially the section on different groups.

Thanks

Close up of true bug from side showing base of antennae

Close up of true bug from its other side showing base of antennae

Close up of true bug from above showing base of antennae

Hi @britishbugs.bsky.social @rockwolf74.bsky.social @willgeorge.bsky.social what do you make of this Trigonotylus sp.? From Culbin Sands (coast nr Inverness), a long way north for caelestialium, + 2nd antennal segment is noticeably longer than 3rd, so it's probably ruficornis despite stripes?

At NEYEDC we're interested in all aspects of natural history, including finding out about past fieldtrips and finds, which is why it was nice to stumble across a lovely hand drawn map from a @ynuorg.bsky.social conchological excursion to Brandesburton in 1969 - spot the all important lunch stop!🥪

Gladys Mae West obituary: mathematician who pioneered GPS technology She made key contributions to US cold-war science despite facing huge barriers as a Black woman.

No joke: I got angry hate mail today for writing an obituary of a Black woman scientist—because the person felt she did didn’t deserve the recognition.

Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

I collected a few Alder catkins from along the canal at Cadder, on Monday. Several micro-moth species caterpillars feed inside these and this morning one catkin proved to be tenanted (see ejected frass). The only species i've ever reared thru by this process tho is Argyresthia goedartella.
#teammoth

A slide showing information about the lacebug Catoplatus fabricii. There is an image of the species (a small brown bug with mesh like structures at the edge of the abdomen. The text on the slide reads A medium sized species of lacebug which is strongly associated with Ox-eye Daisy, Leucanthemum vulgare. The thorax is rather narrow behind the head, and lacks the meshes on the margins found in other lacebugs. The third antennal segment is the same width as the fourth. A very scarce species in Bedfordshire, with only one recent record. Should be looked for where Ox-eye Daisies are found, especially in dry, sunny situations on calcareous soils. Adults over-winter in moss close to the host plant.

A new species added to the Bedfordshire bug slides, with the lacebug Catoplatus fabricii, a rather lovely creature brilliantly found and photographed by @markgurn.bsky.social last year. See all the slides here www.flickr.com/photos/runne...