Cladonia polydactyla, C subulata, and C humilis. Three of ten species of heathland #lichens I found in Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk. Shows that rare and precious Sandlings lowland heath still remains even under that plantation woodland. Small hope to cling to after devastating Dunwich Heath #wildfire.
From Landguard, Moth trapping: 79 Species recorded between our 3 traps last night. Moth of the morning is the Comfrey Ermine (Ethimia quadrillella) which is a nationally scarce species living on Comfrey.
Landguard Bird Observatory @landguardbo.bsky.social · 4d ago
Couldn't believe my ears by the River Alde in Bruisyard #Suffolk today hearing a Greenfinch singing quite loud. Of course I couldn't see it but Merlin app agreed and eventually it made a dash down the lane - you'll have to believe me! 😉 #Suffolkbirds
I remember in November 2024 finding Treasure-flower, Gazania rigens, flowering beside the A12 at Brightwell #Suffolk. It was there again today but instead of yellow it's now pink. Sadly I think this may have been replanted as a memorial to a road accident at the Auster Way junction. 😐
Large Skipper on unripe blackberries on Dunwich Heath, Suffolk #Butterfly #Butterflies #wildlife #ukwildlife #wildlifephotography #nature #naturephotography @bc-suffolk.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social
Annual Chalk Hill Blue pilgrimage to Devil's Dyke, Newmarket yesterday. Feels like we are past peak numbers, but still plenty about. Numbers have recovered to some degree since the 2024 washout, but what will this drought do?
Unsuccessful search for Sticky Nightshade, Solanum sisymbriifolium, at Brightwell #Suffolk today but I did find Narrow-leaved Ragwort, Senecio inaequidens, in a couple of spots within @bsbibotany.bsky.social tetrad TM24M where I don't think it's been recorded before. 🤔
🦡 8 Aug || Mammal Society: Introduction to Badgers: Ecology and Monitoring. >>> www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/introducti...
Introduction to Badgers: Ecology and Monitoring
Behold the badger! Join expert Stuart Edmunds to learn all about one of our largest mustelids.
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We still think of wildfires as something that happen to other people, in other places. But the world is changing, and the wildfire in Suffolk is a symptom of that. This is how average annual temperature in Dunwich has changed since 1940, from here: era-explorer.climate.copernicus.eu?lat=52.28&ln...
Hummingbird Hawk-Moth in our garden in Dunwich, Suffolk last weekend Is the moth, or even our garden, still there after the fire? #moth #moths #wildlife #ukwildlife #wildlifephotography #nature #naturephotography @bc-suffolk.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social
FIREBUG (Pyrrhocoris apterus). The first one I have seen in Long Melford (Suffolk). They certainly seem to be expanding their range around here - several have been reported locally this year. #UKBugs
Polypody fern growing on particular bits of the tower of St Peter's church Bruisyard #Suffolk. Some on bricks, some on flints. Wonder if it's the mortar in repairs? 🤔 #FernFriday
Suffolk Branch is run entirely by volunteers. If we do not have enough volunteers to fulfil various roles then the Branch will cease to exist after 35 years. We now have vacancies in two key roles Branch Chair & Transect Co-ordinator Please see suffolkbutterflies.org.uk for details
A trip to the Brecks this week included finding my first Common Gromwell at Market Weston Fen. As usual, I checked for any leaf mines or caterpillars and was delighted to find this Gromwell Ermine caterpillar... @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social @suffolk-nats1929.bsky.social
Market Weston Fen was a lush haven of flowers this week, given months of drought in Suffolk. Highlights included Marsh Fragrant Orchid, Grass of Parnassus, Fine-leaved Water-dropwort, & Pink Water-Speedwell... @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social @suffolk-nats1929.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
Scythioria (Caloplaca) phlogina. Nationally notable. Recorded only occasionally in Suffolk: this is 8th record for west of county. Nitrogen-tolerant #lichen expanding in Britain (if not overlooked previously). Once associated with elms, but since Dutch elm disease mainly on other basic-bark trees.
Gall of the week is caused by the gall midge Kiefferia pericarpiicola on several dozen umbellifers, in this case wild carrot, Daucus carota. Photo by Graham Calow.
The fire is indeed a disaster. Numbers of Grayling and Gatekeepers seem to have been good this year. Tragic that they and their habitat are gone. Hopefully the rare birds will have flown but they too will have no habitat to which they can return. Reptiles are history 😢
May not have survived the devastating fire 🔥 Along with many wildlife species scarce Silver-studded Blues & Graylings will be gone. Many years before they recover. Graylings will have to recolonise from areas already destroyed by Sizewell C @savebutterflies.bsky.social @sayno2sizewellc.bsky.social
Mike Smith@mikecsmiffy.bsky.social · 6d agoMale Gatekeeper clinging to a grass seed head on a windy day at Dunwich Heath Suffolk. #Butterfly #Butterflies #wildlife #ukwildlife #wildlifephotography #nature #naturephotography @bc-suffolk.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social
A colourful pseudoscorpion - species not yet determined - found in compost, was a star visitor to Crowfield Village Fête, Suffolk, courtesy Anglian Microscopy Group. @suffolk-nats1929.bsky.social @vannabartlett.bsky.social
Mediterranean Gull in flight over the reedbeds at RSPB Minsmere #bird #birds #birdphotography #ukwildlife #wildlife #wildlifephotography #nature #NaturePhotography @rspb.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social
Common Ragwort, Jacobaea vulgaris. Up to 100cm. Ridged stem. Basal rosette: leaves up to 15cm, pinnatifid with larger terminal lobe and up to 6 pairs of smaller oblong lobes. Petiole often purple. Stem leaves deeply lobed. Flower heads 15-25mm in dense clusters. Bracts tipped black.
HUMMINGBIRD HAWKMOTH larvae - final instar, early instar and 15 (of 17) found this morning in field margins that are due to be mown (and moved to a nearby 'safe haven' on the farm). Long Melford, Suffolk. #mothsmatter
Lowestoft Life - 21st June to 12th June 2026 Time for a bit of a random catch up of non-work related stuff. Nightjars, yet more auks and quite a lot of moths! blueeyedbirding.blogspot.com/2026/07/lowe...
Great to see the RES's insect-friendly gardening advice featured in a recent BBC article on helping wildlife cope with the heatwave 🐝 Small actions can make a big difference for insects - find out how to support your garden during a heatwave 🔽 buff.ly/pWWv0ks #InsectFriendlyGardening #RESGarden
How are gardeners helping plants survive heatwaves?
Planting trees and using mulch on bare soil are among the tips offered by experts.
buff.ly
New paper out! Limited evidence that butterflies are capable of changing their thermoregulatory performance or thermal tolerance in response to local climatic conditions. Instead, poorer thermoregulators have shown stronger upwards elevational range shifts in response to climate change rdcu.be/fuSJE
Butterflies with low thermoregulatory capacity show greatest upwards range shifts along an elevational gradient
Communications Biology - Lack of variation in thermoregulatory capacity or thermal tolerance in butterflies across an elevational gradient suggests limited adaptive capacity. Poorer...
rdcu.be