Per Smiseth
@persmiseth.bsky.social
890 followers 820 following 140 posts
Behavioural ecologist @ University of Edinburgh. Parental care & family conflict, inbreeding. Biological recording & natural history in cemeteries, burial grounds & churchyards.
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… and finally Deraeocoris lutescens, Buff Footman caterpillar, & the barkflies Valenzuela flavidus & Elipsocus hyalinus. #CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord.
… also: Cream-spot & 2-spot Ladybirds, Dromius quadrimaculatus & Hawthorn Shieldbug …#CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord.
Cream-spot Ladybird. 2-spot Ladybird. Dromius quadrimaculatus. Hawthorn Shieldbug.
Collection of critters from yesterday’s visit to Newington Cemetery, #Edinburgh: 18-spot, Larch, Eyed, Orange & Harlequin #Ladybirds (I counted 356 of the latter, including 1 eating a hoverfly larva) ... #CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord.
18-spot Ladybird. Larch Ladybird. Eyed & Orange Ladybirds. Harlequin Ladybird eating a hoverfly (Syrphus sp) larva
Collection of #barkflies from today’s visit to Duddingston Kirk Graveyard, #Edinburgh: Blaste quadrimaculata, Elipsocus hyalinus, Valenzuela flavidus & Cerobasis guestfalica. #Psocoptera. #CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord.
Blaste quadrimaculata. Elipsocus hyalinus. Valenzuela flavidus. Cerobasis guestfalica.
Collection of #barkflies from today’s visit to Morningside Cemetery, #Edinburgh: Peripsocus milleri, Graphopsocus cruciatus, Cerobasis guestfalica & Valenzuela flavidus. #Psocoptera. #CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord.
Peripsocus milleri. Graphopsocus cruciatus. Cerobasis guestfalica. Valenzuela flavidus.
Female Metylophorus nebulosus from Warriston Cemetery, Edinburgh (VC83), this afternoon. A large (6-7mm) & attractive #barkfly. #Psocoptera #Metylophorusnebulosus #CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord.
Bagworm - possibly Lichen Case-bearer (Dahlica lichenella) - feeding on gravestone in New Calton Burial Ground, #Edinburgh. Initially mistaken for snail poo. #TeamMoth #Moths #Psychidae #CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord.
Dinocampus coccinellae cocoon guarded by 7-spot Ladybird found today on gravestone in New Calton Burial Ground, #Edinburgh. #Braconidae #Parasitoids #Ladybirds #Dinocampuscoccinellae #CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord.
Lime Flame (Chrysoclista lineella) from Greyfriars Kirkyard, #Edinburgh, this morning. 1 of 3 seen in this site. #TeamMoth #Moths #Chrysoclistalineella #CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord.
8x Lime Flame (Chrysoclista lineella) found yesterday on gravestones under lime tree in Old Calton Burial Ground, #Edinburgh. #moths #teammoth #Chrysoclistalineella
#CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord.
Male Hairy Yellow-face Bee (Hylaeus hyalinatus) from my #Edinburgh garden. #bees #HylaeusHyalinatus.
Some of today’s records from Rosebank Cemetery, #Edinburgh: leafhopper Eupterycyba jucunda, Pied Rabbit Moth (Ypsolopha sequella), Dinocampus coccinellae cocoon guarded by its 7-spot Ladybird host & Meadow Plant Bug (Leptopterna dolabrata). #CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord.
Eupterycyba jucunda (beaten from alder). Pied Rabbit Moth (Ypsolopha sequella). Dinocampus coccinellae cocoon guarded by its still living 7-spot Ladybird host. Meadow Plant Bug (Leptopterna dolabrata).
Congratulations! That is exciting news. Great it finally has a proper name.
Reposted by Per Smiseth
I'm so excited to share that this springtail, one that seems to have rapidly appeared in graveyards and gardens across the UK, now has a proper name: Entomobrya petri!

I hope this will be the first of many new species descriptions, allowing us to track our rapidly changing springtail fauna. 🧵⬇️
📢✨ONLINE FIRST✨ New #collembola species found in the UK!

James McCulloch @jamesimcc.bsky.social National Recorder of Sprintails, tells the world about Entomobrya petri! 💚

Please REPOST 📢🪱🌱

soil-organisms.org/index.php/SO...
Female & male Reuterella helvimacula found today under silk web on gravestones in Colinton Kirkyard, #Edinburgh. A small (1.5-2mm) #barkfly. Females: wingless. Males: long wings with sinuous wing edge. Status as uncommon in UK. #Psocoptera. #CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord.
Female. Female. Female & nymph under silk web. Male.
Thanks for replying! I’m not surprised. I was trying to get a photo from above but it wouldn’t let me. Hopefully, I’ll get another chance.
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) today in Newington Cemetery, #Edinburgh. #SmallSkipper #CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord.
Some records from visit to Grange Cemetery, #Edinburgh, on 30 June. Parent Bug, Eyed Ladybird, Peripsocus subfasciatus & an alert unidentified louse fly. @denisewawman.bsky.com #CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord.
Parent Bug. Eyed Ladybird. Peripsocus subfasciatus. Unidentified louse fly.
Just spotted error in mentioning ichneumons & ichneumonidae.
Yesterday: 3 Lime Flame (Chrysoclista linneella) in Old Calton Burial Ground, Edinburgh (VC83). Only known from two locations in Scotland; Falkirk & Edinburgh. #TeamMoth #CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord. #ichneumons #ichneumonidae
Female Clistopyga incitator found ovipositing on a wall in Liberton Cemetery, #Edinburgh this afternoon. This species oviposits in egg sacs of spiders.
#CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord. #ichneumons #ichneumonidae
Records from yesterday’s visit to Comely Bank Cemetery, Edinburgh. Highlight: Ivy Boring Beetle (Ochina ptinoides) hiding on a gravestone. Also Calobata petronella, Broken-barred Carpet & Platybunus pinetorum. #CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord. #TeamMoth
Ivy Boring Beetle (Ochina ptinoides). Calobata petronella. Broken-barred Carpet (Electrophaes corylata). Platybunus pinetorum.
Collection of micro moths found on gravestones in Edinburgh on 21 & 22 May: Regal Piercer, Cherry Bark Tortrix, Male Bee Moth & Garden Mompha. #CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord. #TeamMoth
Regal Piercer (Pammene regiana). Cherry Bark Tortrix (Enarmonia formosana). Male Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella). Garden Mompha (Mompha subbistrigella).
6 Meadow Longhorn (Cauchas rufimitrella) on Garlic Mustard in Warriston Cemetery, #Edinburgh, yesterday. #TeamMoth #Moths #CemeteryWildlifeWatch recording activity on #iRecord.