Nigel Jones
@lancefly.bsky.social
Entomologist. Obsessed with flies. Keen on wasps and bees. Enjoy other insects, birdsong, finding places free of cars and dogwalkers. I don't look much like my avatar image anymore. Love a pint or two of a well served pale ale in a cosy pub with no tv.
Whinging, pathetic "war on motorists" warriors please note:
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan@london.gov.uk · 6d agoThis stopped me in my tracks. An independent study by @qmul.bsky.social has found that after ULEZ was introduced, children’s lungs grew faster in Central London and have now caught up with children outside of the capital. Incredible.
Drawings based on specimens I collected during my costa rica trip! Featuring Ropalomeridae, Richardiidae, and Tabanidae #flyschool2026 #art #entomology
We have just hit 500 followers, thanks to all of you. Please spread the word and keep the posts coming.
Definitely sharing this. Valid points, very well made. Jezza Clarkson and a whole bunch of politicians might also benefit from considering this letter.
Nettlecake@nettlecake.bsky.social · 3w agoBrilliant letter from Stuart Thompson to Jeremy Clarkson about his comments that benefit claimants should write weekly thank you letters to tax payers detailing how they spend their benefits each week.
Man alive! So very many bumbles nectaring on lavender in our garden. It's the bee equivalent of free beer at the pub!
I believe there are still people who are largely in denial about global warming science. Difficult to understand why.
Dolichopodids have been fearsomely difficult to find in this year's extreme heat and dryness, so it was very pleasing to find the scarce Rhapium antennatum in North Herefordshire, where our recording group went yesterday. The first county record since 1905! Swept off exposed mud around a scrape.
"But it was hot in 1936..." The Dust Bowl summer of 1936 remains one of the hottest in U.S. history. The difference is that 1936 was an exceptionally hot event in one region, while today, much of the entire planet is running warmer than average at the same time.
We've known this for some time, but reading it as we swelter in conditions I never thought I would experience in my own lifetime really brings it home. Supremely depressing, and I just cannot understand why so little is happening to ameliorate what is coming at us at speed. GRIM.
I rather liked this shadow on our kitchen cabinets yesterday evening.
Yesterday's wildlife group outing in rural SW Shrops produced this fab Giant Lacewing (Osmylus fulvicephalus), found by @lancefly.bsky.social at the shady edge of the River Clun. 1st one I've ever seen. Posed nicely for me but then flew off before anyone else could tog it!
The first Perilampus species I have found in three years. P. aeneus. Such cracking little hyperparasitoids. Swept off ash tree foliage in my Shrewsbury garden.
“We’ve only had 114 years to do something, let our kids sort it out!”
"I have accepted Keir Starmer's resignation as my chief servant and have invited Andy Burnham to lay out details for how many meals a day he'll give me"
A splendid Calliphoridae spotted in the Wildegoose plant nursery shop.
Phew. Huge relief this morning. Looks like tactical voting on an unprecedented scale kept Reform out. Many, many people dislike Reform and the divisive Mr Farage so much that they'll vote to keep them and him out, rather than their first preference.
Until the last year or so our Shropshire wildlife recording group had not found this tiny fly, Stiphrisoma sabulosum, but we seem to have got our eye in for it now, discovering it at various sites around the county. This one is from the town cemetery in Shrewsbury. Suction sampling helps!
These increases in record temperatures are so off the scale. Extremely worrying.
George Monbiot@georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 3mo agoWhat some of us have been warning of for decades is happening, faster and fiercer than most imagined, even in the mildest and most temperate corners of the world. #ClimateBreakdown
Lesser Housefly Fannia canicularis. Not a common sight these days. I rarely find them when sweep netting. This is a single male swept from riverside grassland at The Isle, Bicton this week. In the 70's these were super abundant in many places!
This was a first for me too. I'm chuffed to have now seen both eggs and larvae. Thanks to Davr for looking for it and finding it. I always forget to look!
David W. Williams@vc40orthops.bsky.social · 3mo agoVery happy to find my first ever Parasyrphus nigritarsus eggs and larvae in Green Dock Beetle egg batches yesterday during the wildlife group's trip to the Bicton area. This hoverfly predates the eggs of various leaf beetles, laying its own eggs (the smaller, white ones) within their egg batches.
Some of the amazing (and rare) Monkey Orchid/Lady Orchid hybrids (Orchis x angusticruris) in Oxfordshire, yesterday. Beautiful flowers in a beautiful location. #orchid
Dipterist Forum Summer Field Trip is coming up fast! More bursaries to help with costs are now available. Details on the where, how's and what's here: dipterists.org.uk/events/dipte... An excellent opportunity to immerse yourself in all things Diptera, learn fieldcraft and work with the experts!
Buttercups in unmown grass patch adding much appreciated brightness to garden view from our kitchen.
JOB DONE Following the Dipterists Forum's workshop in March I have identified all my Muscid specimen backlog. Even the Spilogonas! 194 specimens of 82 species. Particularly pleased with the tally of 9 Spilogona species. Key by James McGill and Flickr virtual museum by Steven Falk a tremendous help.
A highlight of last week's wildlife group field day in Telford was the flies attracted to a small patch of weeping sap on an aspen. 5 Brachyopa - B. bicolor and B. insensilis plus 2 Ferdinandea cuprea. Otherwise it was pretty quiet for flies and other insects.
