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David W. Williams

@vc40orthops.bsky.social

250 followers 140 following 340 posts

Amateur entomologist, naturalist & photographer. Shropshire County Recorder & national iRecord verifier for Orthopteroid insects. Author of 'Orthoptera and Dermaptera' & co-author of 'Micro Ladybirds of Britain and Ireland' FSC Publications AIDGAP Guides.

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Andrew Jewels @andrew-jewels.bsky.social · 11h

An unusual combination of species tapped out of woodland ivy at Fishers Green today: single Cream-spot and Arboreal Ladybirds alongside an unexpected 16-spot Ladybird. #EssexWildlife #UKLadybirds

Single Cream-spot, 16-spot and Arboreal Ladybirds on a pale background.

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David W. Williams @vc40orthops.bsky.social · 16h

Spiked Shieldbug (Picromerus bidens) seen at the Old Riverbed, Shrewsbury last week. A predatory shieldbug, they seem commoner in wetter habitats.

Reposted by David W. Williams

AJCann @ajcann.bsky.social · 10d

Red Marsh Ladybirds, Coccidula rufa.

#Beetles #Coleoptera #VC55 #macrophotography #macro #OMSystem

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Perry Beasley-Hall, PhD @pbeasleyhall.bsky.social · 2d

Field crickets (Gryllinae) aren't just plain brown chirping things in backyards - the group is actually pretty diverse, with >3,000 species. Maybe the weirdest are in the genus Sciobia, which all have these delightful Pikmin-like "hats" 🥺

📸: Sciobia barbara, Pierre-Henri Fabre

#EverydayEnsifera

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Reposted by David W. Williams

katydidposting 𓆧 @0rthoptera.bsky.social · 2d

tympanal organs (for hearing) of a katydid

Siliquofera grandis nymph pictured from the front. tympanal organs on forelimbs (specifically tibia) circled red

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Richard Moyse @kentgrasshoppers.bsky.social · 2d

Looking for earwigs at Goodnestone Gardens in East Kent yesterday (with head gardener's permission). Only found Common Earwig,but this included several macrolabic males with big pincers. Also enjoyed the lovely gardens & café. #Goodnestone #Dermaptera #KentNature

A male Common Earwig with much larger than normal pincers (macrolabic form).

Maggie inkcap fungi growing on woodchip mulch in a plant bed.

A new area of amazing, 'jungle'-style planting.

'Birdwatcher Bill'. One of a number of sculptures around the garden.

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Rockwolf 🇪🇺 @rockwolf74.bsky.social · 3d

A superbly funky Pale Tussock (Calliteara pudibunda) larva from this afternoon’s mooch in east Shropshire! #Lepidoptera #FunkyCat

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Reposted by David W. Williams

VC40Ladybirds 🐞 @vc40ladybirds.bsky.social · 3d

A surprise dark 16-spot LB (Tytthaspis 16-punctata) with a standard one, Hippodamia variegata (Adonis LB) with Rhyzobius lophanthae (Bristly LB), Clitostethus arcuatus (Horseshoe LB) from ivy above G. Celandine and Stethorus pusillus (Dot LB) amongst others! #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird

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David W. Williams @vc40orthops.bsky.social · 3d

That's interesting. Its quite odd here because its found a lot further north than Shrops, but its distribution map follows the Severn slavishly. Given that it is wingless I've often wondered about the populations on each bank of the river. Is there any mixing between them? If so, how?

David W. Williams @vc40orthops.bsky.social · 3d

A male Dark Bush-cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera) seen earlier this week in Brambles near the River Severn in Telford. This species sticks almost exclusively to the Severn corridor in Shropshire, perhaps because of the warmer microclimate?

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Perry Beasley-Hall, PhD @pbeasleyhall.bsky.social · 5d

The Cook Strait giant wētā (Deinacrida rugosa) is an anostostomatid from New Zealand. It's one of the largest insects in the world! Major threats to this cutie include land clearing and predation by rats. It's listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. #EverydayEnsifera

📸: d_kluza (iNaturalist)

Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/6343096

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Steve Gale @stevewg.bsky.social · 4d

Denbies Hillside, Surrey: a sign of our times - October 9th, stood in a t-shirt watching Redwings and a Brambling at the same time as this Chalkhill Blue butterfly!! It’s all over the place…

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Reposted by David W. Williams

VC40Ladybirds 🐞 @vc40ladybirds.bsky.social · 4d

Another day, another Dot! Just because! Stethorus pusillus from lunchtime today (when the sun shone briefly)! #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird

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David W. Williams @vc40orthops.bsky.social · 4d

No. I don't know which beetle you mean, but ladybirds eat aphids & scale insects and so are beneficial for the trees.

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David W. Williams @vc40orthops.bsky.social · 5d

A Pine Ladybird being dwarfed between two f. spectabilis Harlequin Ladybirds, found today in an oak tree (there were lots of Larches & Yews around too) in north Shropshire. Similar but also rather different!

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Reposted by David W. Williams

HarbsBugPics @phazonharbinger.bsky.social · Nov 20

Nesoecia nigrispina are quite a chunky yet formidable species. #cricket #grasshopper #katydid #insect #bug #macro #wildlife

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Reposted by David W. Williams

katydidposting 𓆧 @0rthoptera.bsky.social · 7d

everyone to their own leaf 🍃

Nesoecia nigrispina male (top) and female (bottom), sitting each on their own dry oak leaf

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Perry Beasley-Hall, PhD @pbeasleyhall.bsky.social · 6d

Cooloola monsters are weird, chunky insects endemic to South East Queensland, Australia. They're probably related to king crickets (Anostostomatidae), but not much is known about their evolution. The wingless females live permanently underground. #EverydayEnsifera

📸: Visit Gympie Region

A pale insect with tiny eyes digging underground. It looks almost like a fat potato with legs.

Source: https://www.visitgympieregion.com.au/great-experiences/wildlife/

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Mandy Forde @mandyforde.bsky.social · 5d

I know I've said it before but I definitely need a longer fence 😲
It's getting to peak garden #Chough numbers now and it's only early October.
I'm guessing the daily count might top 70 this Winter.
Photos taken with my phone about 2 foot from the fence line.
#Anglesey
#WildWebsWednesday

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Samantha Batty @yorkshireeden.bsky.social · 5d

The best from our garden last night. A lovely pink Vestal, Clifden Nonpareil, Dewick's Plusia and Merveille du Jour. S.Yorkshire. #TeamMoth @bcyorkshire.bsky.social

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Owen Leyshon @dungenessowen.bsky.social · 5d

Taken the lawnmower way out to the Pilot Path, Dungeness today for its annual mow

This is to help the Autumn Ladies Tresses as there are no sheep or goats to do the munching

Moved a Large Conehead out the way - which is my first of the year

@bsbibotany.bsky.social
@kentfieldclub.bsky.social

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David W. Williams @vc40orthops.bsky.social · 6d

Slender Groundhopper (Tetrix subulata) seen recently at an organic farm in South Shropshire.

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Perry Beasley-Hall, PhD @pbeasleyhall.bsky.social · 7d

There are ~18,000 species of katydids, crickets, & allies worldwide - over 32,000 if you include questionable names. I thought it'd be fun to showcase some weird, beautiful, or unusual species daily. First up is Orophus tessellatus, a katydid from Central America! #EverydayEnsifera

📸: Karl Kroeker

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Annie Irving @sconzani.bsky.social · 7d

Pete's incredible photos help me relive the experience of watching these magnificent birds!

Peter Howlett @cardiffbirder.bsky.social · 7d

Two juv Hobbies turned up on the River Ely last week while I was away, I really didn't expect them to still be there today in some lovely light and blue skies #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds #naturephotography

A Hobby clasps a headless dragonfly in its right talon, it has just bitten the head off and is chewing on it

A Hobby holds a dragonfly in its right talon and is pecking at it

A Hobby holds a dragonfly in its right talon and is about to take a bite of the body

A Hobby soars past the photographer, wings outstretched, against blue sky, showing off the dark eye masks, spotted underwings, striped underside and striped tail

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Annie Irving @sconzani.bsky.social · 7d

Hobbies!! In recent days, birders & others have been treated to the incredible aerial displays of 2 juvenile Hobbies, expertly catching dragonflies along the River Ely. My photographic attempts are poor but my memories of watching them will remain. ⭐💚 #BirdingWales

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