Derek Binns
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arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
Derek Binns
@arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
1K followers 120 following 730 posts
Amateur naturalist - parasitic wasps (and other tiny insects) specialising in UK Trichogrammatidae and Mymaridae. All posts are my own finds, and all are found in Sussex (unless otherwise stated).
Born at 317.68ppm.
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arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
The remarkable wings of a 0.3mm long Alaptus minimus wasp of the Mymaridae. If you look closely toward the left end of the pair you can see the hamuli (hooks) that link the hindwing to the forewing.

#wasps #entomology
A pair of wings (forewing and hindwing) of a tiny wasp. Each wing has a very long fringe, and the fringes of the forewing and the hindwing overlap.
November 26, 2025 at 10:05 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A 0.8mm long female Paracentrobia pulchella wasp of the Trichogrammatidae found 15.5.2025 on the saltmarsh at Rye Harbour. This is a very common species around the Nature Reserve, with large populations throughout the summer.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Trichogrammatidae #RyeHarbour
Side view of a tiny yellow wasp. Its head and antennae are to the left of picture. Its head has a large bright red eye. Clear, paddle-shaped fringed wings are held vertically above body.
November 25, 2025 at 10:03 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
Corncockle.

#seed #Corncockle
A black seed that is rounded-triangular in outline, and is covered in blunt spikes.
November 20, 2025 at 3:59 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A lovely Green Shieldbug in bright November sunshine this morning.

#UKWildlife #Shieldbug #Hemiptera
A Green Shieldbug on a background of green foliage in low-angled sunlight. The Shieldbug is facing to the left of picture, and is viewed from above.
November 20, 2025 at 11:52 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A beautiful 0.22mm long female Megaphragma noyesi parasitoid wasp of the Trichogrammatidae found 29.7.2025 in the old meadow at Great Dixter.
Very pleased with the detail in this picture, probably the best one of this species thus far.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Trichogrammatidae #HighWeald
Side view of a tiny wasp; its head and antennae are at the top left of picture, its long-fringed narrow wings are to the right
November 19, 2025 at 3:16 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A female Polynema waterhousei wasp of the Mymaridae found 21.7.2025 in the old meadow at Great Dixter.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Mymaridae #HighWeald
Side view of a tiny brown wasp, its head and antennae are to the left of picture. Clear, fringed wings are held above body.
November 17, 2025 at 10:46 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A beautiful 0.3mm long female Alaptus minimus wasp of the Mymaridae found 12.10.2025 under pine trees in Brede High Woods.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Mymaridae #HighWeald
A tiny brown wasp viewed from above, its head is to the right of picture. A narrow, fringed wing is held vertically above body.
November 17, 2025 at 10:34 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
The very mild autumn has resulted in ripe figs still being enjoyed from the garden in mid-November.

#figs #delicious
A ripe fig cut in half so that the inside of both halves are revealed to the camera. Each half is filled with luscious red-pink flesh contained within a rim of white pith surrounded by a thin dark green skin.
November 16, 2025 at 2:21 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
November 16, 2025 at 9:41 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
The remarkable forewing and hindwing of a 0.3mm long Alaptus minimus wasp of the Mymaridae.

#entomology #Mymaridae #wasps
slide image of the forewing (above) and hindwing (below) of a tiny wasp
November 15, 2025 at 9:26 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
@punkt-ch.bsky.social Just found you on this platform, hurrah!

#Punktdesign
A red-breasted Robin is standing on a brown phone
November 11, 2025 at 5:15 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
Two days after the preceding post, this is the same solitary Comatricha cf. nigra slime mould in the garden .

#SlimeMould #Myxomycetes
A black ovoid atop a very thin black filament, growing out of a flattish piece of wood
November 9, 2025 at 4:46 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
Could this be a spermatophore? Seen in the garden this afternoon.
Any ideas?
a creamy white sphere atop a thin black stem
November 6, 2025 at 2:43 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A 0.6mm long female Anaphes flavipes wasp of the Mymaridae found 29.10.2025 near Castle Water of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Mymaridae #RyeHarbour
view from above of a tiny brown wasp with its wings outstretched either side of the wasp's body, its head and antennae are to the top of picture.
November 6, 2025 at 11:34 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A female Kleidotoma nigra wasp of the Figitidae, Eucoilidae, found at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve yesterday.

#UKWildlife #RyeHarbour #wasps #Eucoilidae #Figitidae
View from above of a black wasp with wings outstretched Side view of a black wasp, its head and antennae are to the left of picture View from above of the scutellum of a black wasp
November 5, 2025 at 1:39 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A female Anaphes ovipositor parasitoid wasp of the Mymaridae found on 12.6.2025 under pine trees in Brede High Woods.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Mymaridae #HighWeald
side view of a tiny brownish wasp, its fringed wings are held vertically above body, and it head with a large red eye is facing to the right of the picture
November 3, 2025 at 4:09 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A beautiful 0.22mm long female Megaphragma noyesi wasp of the Trichogrammatidae found 14.8.2025 in the old meadow at Great Dixter.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Trichogrammatidae #HighWeald
Side view of a tiny yellow wasp, it is facing to the right, its head has large black eyes and there are pointed antennae on top of the head. The wasp has blade-like wings with very long fringe hairs held above the body.
November 2, 2025 at 9:57 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
One of five Paraceras melis melis badger fleas found on 22.10.2025 on a badger at Mallydams Wood. This one is a female.

#UKWildlife #Flea #Siphonaptera #Mallydams #HighWeald
Side view of an orange-brown flea. Its head and mouthparts are to the left of picture.
October 30, 2025 at 4:23 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A brachypterous male Oligosita sp wasp of the Trichogrammatidae found at Great Dixter.
Every year several of these brachypters are found and it is impossible to determine species. Would be good to sequence the DNA in order to work out exactly what they are.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Trichogrammatidae
View from above of a tiny wasp with disproportionately small wings. Head and antennae are to the right of picture.
October 29, 2025 at 3:04 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A beautiful 0.6mm long female Anaphes flavipes parasitoid wasp of the Mymaridae found at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve this morning.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Mymaridae #RyeHarbour
Side view of a tiny dark brown wasp. Its narrow, blade-like wings are fringed with hairs. Head and long antennae are to the left of picture.
October 29, 2025 at 2:17 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A rather handsome male Ctenophthalmus nobilis nobilis flea found on a vole.
#Flea #Siphonaptera #Mallydams #UKWildlife
Side view of a brown flea with its head facing to the left of picture. Its legs are hanging down, and are covered in spines
October 28, 2025 at 9:45 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
Maybe Kate will thwart Miranda's plans by building some permanent yurts that overshadow the house.
#TheArchers
October 24, 2025 at 10:41 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A very welcome spot of autumn sunshine in the garden.

#Diptera
An orange poppy flower in the centre of which is a drone fly nectaring.
October 22, 2025 at 11:32 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
Looking at the face of a Thysanus ater wasp of the Signiphoridae.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Signiphoridae #entomology
View looking directly at the head and antennae of a tiny wasp. This is a slide mounted image. The circular brown part is the head, with large black eyes either side. The two small pale circles at the bottom of the head are the toruli out of which emerge the antennae. Between the toruli are the mandibles.
October 22, 2025 at 11:16 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
@davidnotton.bsky.social Am thinking Callaspidia defonscolombei of the Figitidae, Aspicerinae. Does that seem plausible?
October 20, 2025 at 9:59 AM