Pond Watcher
@watcherpond.bsky.social
Interested in natural history, particularly ponds. Yorkshire based.
It's great to see so many projects awarded @naturalengland.bsky.social Species Recovery Programme funding in the Yorkshire region, from threatened invertebrates to projects for Black Grouse, White-clawed Crayfish, and the Scarce Vapourer. A full list can be viewed here: www.gov.uk/government/p... 🪲
Could these be the pupal cases of a Fungus Gnat? Found under log at Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham on 23 June during a Hull Nats excursion. iNaturalist suggested Keroplatini. Comments/suggestions v welcome. @suillia.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social
200 dead White-lipped #Snails on 150m of verge @ Loirsbank Road. Did ACC spray something #toxic? What else died? #Biodiversity?? I hope none were eaten by the Song Thrushes or Hedgehogs. This seems mindless. @aberdeencc.bsky.social
@ilichenmoss2.bsky.social George Greiff in the BBC News headlines on Sunday morning. A fantastic discovery, and hopefully a way to moderate invasive (INNS) Campylopus introflexus (Heath Star Moss). Well deserved recognition for some very interesting bryological work. 🎉🙌 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Killer fungus discovered that destroys UK invasive plant
A newly discovered species raises hope that some native British habitats could be restored.
bbc.co.uk
No doubt there wil be better photos but the "Dad, what's that weird Heron" from the back of the car y'day evening led to a staggering, to my tiny mind, find (assume re-find of birds from Blacktoft?) of White Stork just outside Cottingham yesterday #YorkshireBirding @rarebirder.bsky.social #UKBirding
An obliging Empis tessellata, East Yorkshire today. A predator and nectar feeder. Note the long proboscis.
Bog Beacon (Mitrula paludosa) still fruiting in the ponds down at Saltoun Wood in East Lothian. #Fungi #Mushrooms #Mycology #Nature #Photography #Nikon
Plenty of insects to see the other day in the Walled Garden at Holkham Hall, Norfolk, including this striking Heteropteran, Miris striatus
I believe these are Orange-marked Craneflies, Ptychoptera contaminata, at Holkham Hall lake, Norfolk, 21st May.
3 Red-veined Darters so far today (1 at south end of Chalk Bank, 1 at Point dunes, 1 at Kilnsea Wetlands) and locally rare Large Red Damselfly at Sykes Field. #Spurndragonflies #Spurndamselflies @rarebirder.bsky.social
The first Red-veined Darter of the year just south of the Warren amongst the buckthorn, closely followed by 4 presumed individuals over Kilnsea Wetlands #spurnbirds @rarebirder.bsky.social
Our Monad of the Month for May 2026 is SE8647, located at Londesborough, near Market Weighton: www.neyedc.org.uk/updates-insi... 📍 Click through to read more about a grid square where we're lacking records!
Monad of the Month - SE8647 - Londesborough, Market Weighton — neyedc
Our Monad of the Month for May 2026 is SE8647, located about 5km north of Market Weighton.
neyedc.org.uk
Did you know that UK gardens collectively form more green space than all our national nature reserves combined? They are vital mini-ecosystems for supporting biodiversity, wellbeing & climate resilience. Even small greenspaces help. 🔗 https://f.mtr.cool/udwwyaukou #RHSChelsea #CitizenScience
If you are interested in learning to identify the UKs ground beetles there are free guides to download on my website johnwalters.co.uk/publications...
What's on this month? 🗓️ Sat 9th May - Bryological Section Field Meeting @ Leyburn Sun 10th May - Yorkshire Dragonflies Group @ Terrington Mon 18th May - Entomological Section Field Meeting @ Castle Howard Sat 30th May - VC61 Excursion @ Heslington, York Full details: www.ynu.org.uk/news-events/...
Sadly this one has pretty much gone from the Tunbridge Wells area, for the reason mentioned, along with its later-flying relatives L glaucia & L laternaria
Simon Knott@sjbknott.bsky.social · 3mo agoLeucozona lucorum ♂ today in Bengeo garden, iconic species of spring. Once ubiquitous, it has suffered dramatic decline in last two decades in Eastern England as climate change produces hotter drier summers.
@dst-conservation.bsky.social I wonder if adults of this species, the largest British water beetle, will fly northwards to your ponds eventually
Neil@uk-wildlife.bsky.social · 4mo agoOne thing on my list to film is this behaviour I witnessed a few years ago now. Its a Great Silver Water Beetle larva eating a snail. It grabs the water snail with its asymmetrical mouthparts, wraps its body around it and uses brute force to crunch through the shell and get the soft chewy centre!
International City Nature Challenge 24-27 April. Latest issue of the Naturalist has article on results & notable finds of York CNC 2025, incl Crucifix Ground Beetle, reported to be one of Europe's rarest ground beetles @inaturalist.bsky.social @ynuorg.bsky.social @teamneyedc.bsky.social
Almost half of European freshwater fishes 🐟 at risk of extinction, new IUCN Red List reveals 🧪 iucn.org/press-releas...
Almost half of European freshwater fishes at risk of extinction, new IUCN Red List reveals
The updated European Red List of Freshwater Fishes – the most comprehensive assessment in 15 years – reveals little evidence of species recovery and calls for urgent action to protect Europe’s aquatic...
iucn.org
A beautiful Copper Peacock Elaphrus cupreus ground beetle on the muddy margin of a pond. Challacombe, Dartmoor, Devon
Great Silver Water Beetles are an almost regular occurrence in the moth trap in spring here. Assume they are increasing in range nationally.
If you needed any other reason to support a ban on Pheasant breeding, release and shooting here's another @lymediseaseuk.bsky.social
Eoghan Daltun 🌍@irishrainforest.bsky.social · 4mo agoStudy finds pheasant link to Lyme disease germ in ticks share.google/M6kQAcKWmCis...
The final zoom talk rounds up 2025 Butterfly season and what a season it was! An Annus Mirablis some would say. We look at the effects of the heat and drought on the fortunes of our species on different habitats as well as exploring a record breaking early start www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/yorkshire-...
Yorkshire Butterfly Season 2025 by Nick Hall
Nick Hall is the Yorkshire county Transect coordinator will present a review of the 2025 Butterfly Season.
eventbrite.co.uk
A small northern chalk stream, Ings Beck in North Newbald, looking fine on 30 March.
Just over three weeks to go until the City Nature Challenge begins! Find out more and get involved in Hull City Nature Challenge on our website: www.neyedc.org.uk/hull-cnc-2026 and on iNaturalist: uk.inaturalist.org/projects/cit...
Hull City Nature Challenge 2026 — neyedc
neyedc.org.uk
What is a turlough? These seasonal lakes fill and drain through underground channels, creating a unique and ever-changing freshwater habitat. Join Dr @hmbarber-james.bsky.social on 28 May for a FREE entoLIVE exploring their hidden insect diversity 🌎 🧪 Sign up: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1914939919...
Botany training www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/new-cambridg...
New Cambridge course set to revive botany and bridge critical gap in plant science education - Cambridge University Botanic Garden
The programme is aimed at advanced undergraduates, PhD students, early-career researchers, professional ecologists, horticulturalists and conservation practitioners seeking deeper botanical expertise.
botanic.cam.ac.uk
