David W. Williams

Slender Groundhopper (Tetrix subulata) seen recently at an organic farm in South Shropshire.

A side profile of a katydid resembling a brown, crunchy leaf. The wings of the katydid even have veins! Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/68304626

There are ~18,000 species of katydids, crickets, & allies worldwide - over 32,000 if you include questionable names. I thought it'd be fun to showcase some weird, beautiful, or unusual species daily. First up is Orophus tessellatus, a katydid from Central America! #EverydayEnsifera

📸: Karl Kroeker

Pete's incredible photos help me relive the experience of watching these magnificent birds!

Hobbies!! In recent days, birders & others have been treated to the incredible aerial displays of 2 juvenile Hobbies, expertly catching dragonflies along the River Ely. My photographic attempts are poor but my memories of watching them will remain. ⭐💚 #BirdingWales

Not a good shot by any means, but I just love the refraction of the hairs on this Dot Ladybird (Stethorus pusillus) making all colours of the rainbow, and giving little star bursts too! At lunchtime today in Shropshire #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird

Blustery Sunday in Shrops: Adalia bipunctata (2-spot LB) under pine bark, Coccinella septempunctata (7-spot LB) + Rhyzobius chrysomeloides (Arboreal LB) + Nephus quadrimaculatus (Ivy LB), 7-spot + Stethorus pusillus (Dot LB), & Scymnus interruptus (Red-flanked LB) pair #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird

Female Common Earwig (Forficula auricularia complex) seen at an organic farm in south Shrops recently. 'F. auricularia' is a complex of 4 spp., 2 of which have been found in Britain (auricularia s.s. & dentata). They need to be DNA barcoded to separate. Nothing is ever easy...

An eyed ladybird, with pale rings around its black spots, clings to a metal railing

A pine ladybird clinging to a railing. It’s an all black ladybird with red markings on the wing cases

A parent bug on a laurel leaf. It’s a reddish-brown bug with a black and yellow chequered pattern around the edge of its body

A green shieldbug clings to a metal railing, with a few 7-spot ladybirds nearby

A windswept walk around Retford Cemetery yielded six species of shieldbug and six species of ladybird, mostly clinging to metal railings. Eyed Ladybird was a nice surprise!

#Coleoptera #Hemiptera

A wave like cloud formation in an overcast sky, with sea and a harbour wall below.

A rare and transient Kelvin-Helmholtz wave cloud formation north of Walberswick, Suffolk, seen last Wednesday 1st October.

Meadow Ladybirds, showing some variation in their markings

Red-rumped Ladybird

Red Marsh Ladybird

Three species of micro ladybird seen recently at an organic farm in South Shropshire: a pair of Meadow Ladybirds (Rhyzobius litura); a female Red-rumped Ladybird (Scymnus haemorrhoidalis) and a Red Marsh Ladybird (Coccidula rufa).

7-spot, Forestier's and Arboreal Ladybirds on a pale canvas background

Single 7-spot (Coccinella septempunctata), Forestier's (Rhyzobius forestieri) and Arboreal (R. chrysomeloides) Ladybirds tapped out of a Firethorn shrub in an Upshire garden a couple of days ago, showing the size difference between the three species. #EssexWildlife #UKLadybirds #MicroLadybirds

Feathered Ranunculus

Feathered Ranunculus nfy and the best from the trap this morning.
#teammoth

A coastal walk today turned up a Wheatear on the beach at St Mary's Well Bay; 4 Stonechats, an elusive Clouded yellow & a more co-operative Painted lady in the coastal fields.
Oh, & this gorgeous moth came hurtling in the window last night, attracted to my desk lamp - a Barred sallow, I believe.

Spotted a female Dark Bush Cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera) just outside the landing window above the climbing rose "Blush Noisette". They are a great favourite of ours with their almost prehistoric amour plated appearance. 🦗 @vc40orthops.bsky.social

Two 7-spot Ladybirds with a tiny Red-flanked Ladybird between them, all sitting on a pale canvas background

A Red-flanked Ladybird (Scymnus interruptus) flanked by a pair of much larger 7-spot Ladybirds (Coccinella septempunctata), all tapped out of a Euonymus shrub in my Waltham Abbey garden a couple of days ago. #EssexWildlife #UKLadybirds #InconspicuousLadybirds

A tight cluster of Striped Shieldbugs on a Hemlock stem with a 7-spot Ladybird at the back.

A tight cluster of Striped Shielbugs (Graphosoma italicum), plus a 7-spot Ladybird, on a Hemlock stem in Abbey Gardens, Waltham Abbey yesterday. A total of 19 adults and five nymphs counted on this one plant. #EssexWildlife #UKBugs

A recent trip to an organic farm in South Shropshire produced epic quantities of 16-spot Ladybirds from grass tussocks. A sign of oncoming winter I presume, as they congregate to se out the dark days. The sound of them cascading into my beating tray was quite impressive!

Interesting, ta!

I'd noticed this in your photos & nearly commented on it. There was discussion on Friday about Harlequins getting smaller too. Intriguing.

Many of the Rhyzobius lophanthae (Bristly LB) I've been finding this year have been quite small! Is it due to the large numbers of them, meaning less food to go round? Here's one with Nephus quadrimaculatus (Ivy LB) & R. chrysomeloides (Arboreal LB) last week. #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird

Early instar Striped Shieldbug bug on Hemlock stem

Late instar Striped Shieldbug nymph on Hemlock stem.

Adult Striped Shieldbug on Hemlock stem

Large stand of Hemlock growing amongst nettles and grasses with mown paths in between.

A careful search of Town Mead, Waltham Abbey produced three nymphs and 12 adult Striped Shieldbugs (Graphosoma italicum) in a large stand of Hemlock today. The best count of the year on this site, the warm sunshine encouraging them out to bask. #EssexWildlife #UKBugs

Last batch of micros from yesterday in north Shropshire! Nephus quadrimaculatus (Ivy Ladybird), Scymnus suturalis (Conifer Ladybird) with Hesperomyces sp again, S. haemorrhoidalis (Red-rumped Ladybird) and a dark Rhyzobius litura (Meadow Ladybird) #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird

A few micros from a gorgeous day in north Shropshire yesterday: Rhyzobius chrysomeloides (Arboreal Ladybird), R. lophanthae (Bristly Ladybird), Stethorus pusillus (Dot Ladybird) and Coccidula rufa (Red Marsh Ladybird) #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird

A beautiful day for recording in north Shropshire yesterday! Some finds include, Adalia bipunctata (2-spot Ladybird), hanging on to lunch! Hippodamia variegata (Adonis Ladybird), Myrrha 18-guttata (18-spot Ladybird) and Harmonia quadripunctata (Cream-streaked Ladybird) #VC40Ladybirds

In the garden just now. Its been a funny year...!

The weather was gorgeous yesterday, for end of September, but these 7-spot Ladybirds (Coccinella septempunctata) are still rather optimistic!! 😳 😂 #VC40Ladybirds

Magnificent chap!

Been a while since I saw a macrolabic Common Earwig (Forficula auricularia). What a stunner! 😍 In north Shropshire yesterday.

Tapped this lovely little case-bearer from mixed vegetation (oak, ivy etc...) yesterday in north Shropshire. Maybe a Lichen Case-bearer - Dahlica lichenella? (the squares are approx 3.5 mm) #Lepidoptera

A green bush-cricket with short brown wings which only reach about half-way along its abdomen. Its pointed head (to the left) explains why it is called a 'conehead'.

Also from Castle Coote yesterday, this smart-looking Short-winged Conehead male. What it was doing right out on the saltmarsh, I'm not sure. #Orthoptera #ukorthoptera #KentNature