Al
@valezina15.bsky.social
Gardener, birder and insect enthusiast. Happiest outdoors!
That was worth a detour off the motorway 😁. Driving back from Hampshire, just had to call in to see the beautiful Long-tailed Shrike. Many thanks to Gloster Birder for excellent directions. If anyone is going, please follow the instructions here theglosterbirder.co.uk @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Sometimes the butterfly gods smile down on you... A bilateral gynandromorph Common Blue at Grafton Wood, Worcs 1/8/26. @westmbms-99.bsky.social @worcswt.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @ukbutterflies.bsky.social
🐇🐇🐇 Happy Yorkshire Day! Yorkshire has three Bs Best 🍦: Brymor Best 🍫: Bullion Best 🍪: Bettys Who does not fancy a Fat Rascal?
August is your last chance to see all of the Big Eight bumblebees 🎱🐝 Of the UK’s 24 bumblebee species, these eight are the most common. Have you spotted any bumblebees recently? How many species have you seen? 🔎 Brush up on your bumblebee identification skills: https://ow.ly/11BQ50ZoP6O
So sad to see #DunwichHearh on fire. Just there on Tuesday, reflecting how beautiful it was #wildfires #climatecrisis If you can do anything small to alleviate climate crisis do it now.
🧵Historic England has published two new reports highlighting the economic value of heritage. The research shows that historic buildings support local economic growth by attracting tourism, boosting property values and encouraging investment. It also finds that archaeology, heritage
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
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.
🦋 Our friends at the Royal Entomological Society have launched a new Insect Welfare and Best Practices Hub. A great collection of resources for anyone recording, photographing, studying or enjoying insects responsibly. 🔗 www.royensoc.co.uk/insect-welfa...
Insect Welfare and Best Practices - Royal Entomological Society
Explore the Royal Entomological Society’s resources on insect welfare and ethics. Learn about best practices for insect care in research and the inclusion of insects in ethics applications.
royensoc.co.uk
Jodrell Bank Observatory facing closure after major funder cuts support
Jodrell Bank Observatory facing closure after major funder cuts support
Scientists say decision is blow to UK astronomy as deep space observatory is home to world-leading facilities Jodrell Bank Observatory, which runs a world-leading network of radio telescopes, is facing closure after its major funder cut support for the facility. The deep space observatory, which hosts the Grade I-listed Lovell telescope, is prized by astronomers who study galaxies, black holes, star formation, planets beyond the solar system and the afterglow of the big bang. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Think I've just found a male Steatoda nobilis on an outbuilding in York. If ID is correct, this will be my 1st false widow spider, very exciting! @britishecologicalsociety.org
🧵Askham Bog. York is widely recognised as one of the most ecologically diverse wild spaces in Northern England, famously described by Sir David Attenborough as a "cathedral of nature conservation" The reserve has reopened after a five-month restoration ahead of its 80th anniversary celebrations.
Any credible 10-year plan must put nature at its heart. @andyburnham.bsky.social, @angelaeagle1.bsky.social and @miattafahnbulleh.bsky.social: you now have the opportunity – and the responsibility – to back the action and investment nature needs, and put the UK back on track. We hope you step up.
Difficult not to imagine what Darwin – who famously had a penchant for beetles – would make of this. Not the 'war of nature' he was thinking of. P.S. Command and Conquer's 'Hell March' is a fitting tune for a beetle battling a robotic imposter. P.P.S. Here's one of our favourite Darwin quotes.
Digital Brain@yourdigitalbrain.bsky.social · 3w agoA bio-inspired robot crosses paths with a real insect , 400 million years of evolution face to face with human engineering.
#RSPB Blacktoft Sands was the place to be this morning. Birds included 28 Spoonbills, 2 Peregrines, Marsh Harriers, Ruff in a variety of plumages, Green & Wood Sandpipers, Greenshanks, Spotshanks & the most Bearded Tits I've ever seen in one place! @yorkbirding.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Visited St Wendreda's church today after listening to the Harrier Angels (below) a few months ago. 118 angels with Marsh Harrier wings and a rare double hammerbeam roof. An amazing sight and well worth the detour. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
stone built church 'has the only original entirely wooden spire in the UK, which retains its original wooden shingles & frame.' The interior walls are whitewashed concrete. Now fully restored it is hard to believe that not many years ago it featured on the Heritage at Risk Register.
It was buzzing at the #BeesNeedsWeek Science Festival at RHS Wisley. Visitors discovered how easy it is to support pollinator science by spending 10 minutes counting pollinating insects on flowers 🐝🌼 Take time in nature with your own FIT Count for @pomscheme.bsky.social ukpoms.org.uk/fit-counts
I've been looking for Silver-washed Fritillaries in York for years, having seen them elsewhere in Yorkshire. Really wasn't expecting my 1st one to be a valezina form, right beside my garden, on a cloudy day! Very happy 😃 @savebutterflies.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Gall of the week is caused by the gall midge Rabdophaga rosaria on willows, Salix spp. There is a possibility that these galls are caused by a different species on each species of willow.
The Big Butterfly Count 2026 is here and butterflies need our help! 🦋 From now until 9 August, spend just 15 minutes outside counting the butterflies you see and help us take nature's pulse. The best part? Anyone, anywhere can take part. Count yourself in 👉 https://butrfli.es/3SVFepj
Microsoft is planning to build huge AI data centres in Leeds that will drain the River Aire and massively increase carbon emissions. Add your name to help stop the final sign-off: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/pr...
Stop the Microsoft AI megasite in Leeds!
Microsoft wants to build three huge AI data centres at Skelton Grange. It would drain the River Aire and become the city's biggest carbon emitter. We can still stop it - add your name to the petition.
you.38degrees.org.uk
Under a Binface government, anyone who doesn’t accept human-made climate change as fact will be sent back to school, from Year 1 right the way to A Levels, to see if anything goes in the second time round. #VoteBinface
At Monks Wood, the soil temperatures this week are insane: Grass surface 45C 10 cm deep 27C 30 cm deep 22C 1 metre deep 19C Air temperature has reached 34.5C. Max concrete surface temperature is off the scale, over 50C. The sensors can't detect that high, it was not expected when they were designed.
Richard K Broughton@richardkbroughton.bsky.social · last mo.The Met Office weather station on our Monks Wood site recorded 35.7C yesterday, 26 June. It was >30C by 10 am, and the grass temperature reached 45.2C. Imagine being a vole, hare, skylark chick, lizard or ground beetle in that heat. A foot deep, the soil was 22C.
