Derek Binns
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arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
Derek Binns
@arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
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.
A wonderful tribute to a great man. Whether you knew him as Araucaria, or as Cinephile, his crosswords were the most delicious challenge. High point of each year was his Christmas Crossword in the FT; solving them required a huge amount of work, but the sense of satisfaction was unmatched.
November 26, 2025 at 3:28 PM
What a corker! Difficult to top that one.
November 25, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Is that the same Kate who abandons her children at the first possible opportunity?
#TheArchers
November 25, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Was it Father Crispin? Was he rushing to another massage at Spiritual Home? Why wasn't he running there?
#TheArchers
November 25, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Ovipositor is around 3.5 microns in diameter. This delivers the wasp eggs into the thrips eggs. It is taking miniaturisation to the limits for animals.
November 19, 2025 at 6:08 PM
No, I just tweaked the Kohler and added a spot of side light as well. Managed to get the alignment better for imaging. Find it near impossible to get these tiny ones to sit right for imaging, there is so little margin for adjustment without damaging them.
November 19, 2025 at 4:45 PM
and what about Ellie May?

#TheArchers
November 18, 2025 at 10:21 AM
A clear illustration of an environmental crime.
November 18, 2025 at 8:40 AM
None, alas. Have checked many a fig and only found Thrips thus far.
November 17, 2025 at 9:00 AM
She would have noticed a lad who is in a different year at school, but there wouldn't have been any interaction surely?
She hadn't met him in the years post schooldays, and hence didn't know him.

#TheArchers
November 15, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Going back a step; Amber chose George without ever having met him. Ergo, she liked the idea of George from his notoriety. Does this suggest she felt he would be an asset to her online persona? An invention rarely measures up in reality.
November 14, 2025 at 9:17 AM
He is a young man in need of guidance. He has been failed by his father and paternal grandfather and great grandfather. Those men have instilled a gross disrespect for his mother and grandmother, and for the norms of life. Now he needs a routine on which to build his future.
#TheArchers
November 12, 2025 at 9:06 AM
We've yet to hear from Mrs Trellis of North Wales ...
November 10, 2025 at 3:09 PM