Ian Beavis
@ianbeavis.bsky.social
Research Curator at the Amelia, Tunbridge Wells. Entomologist. Natural historian. Local historian. Ecology & heritage of Scilly & the Channel Islands
And Episyrphus balteatus (Marmalade Hoverfly) basking with wings spread. You usually see it with folded wings.
November 17, 2025 at 10:33 PM
And Episyrphus balteatus (Marmalade Hoverfly) basking with wings spread. You usually see it with folded wings.
Also in Calverley Grounds today several of the dronefly Eristalis pertinax feeding at Fatsia & Mahonia. This is not the regular winter-active dronefly.
November 17, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Also in Calverley Grounds today several of the dronefly Eristalis pertinax feeding at Fatsia & Mahonia. This is not the regular winter-active dronefly.
There were two queen Buff-tailed Bumblebees active in Calverley Grounds today, not worried by the fact that it's getting colder
November 17, 2025 at 10:28 PM
There were two queen Buff-tailed Bumblebees active in Calverley Grounds today, not worried by the fact that it's getting colder
A few flowers of Chamomile still lingering on Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour
November 16, 2025 at 8:14 PM
A few flowers of Chamomile still lingering on Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour
Bulbous Buttercup, showing the distinctive downturned sepals, in Calverley Grounds. Very late to see this one flowering. #wildflowerhour
November 16, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Bulbous Buttercup, showing the distinctive downturned sepals, in Calverley Grounds. Very late to see this one flowering. #wildflowerhour
Second growth of Wild Carrot in one of the wildflower meadow areas in Calverley Grounds #wildflowerhour
November 16, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Second growth of Wild Carrot in one of the wildflower meadow areas in Calverley Grounds #wildflowerhour
Reposted by Ian Beavis
Intrigued by images posted by @ianbeavis.bsky.social from British Blood-sucking Flies by Edwards, Oldroyd & Smart (1939) I found that it had had a precursor in Illustrations of British Blood-sucking Flies (1906), with paintings by Amedeo John Engel Terzi. @archive.org
archive.org/details/illu...
archive.org/details/illu...
November 16, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Intrigued by images posted by @ianbeavis.bsky.social from British Blood-sucking Flies by Edwards, Oldroyd & Smart (1939) I found that it had had a precursor in Illustrations of British Blood-sucking Flies (1906), with paintings by Amedeo John Engel Terzi. @archive.org
archive.org/details/illu...
archive.org/details/illu...
One spider book amusingly described this one as 'uncommon unless it occurs in your house'
November 15, 2025 at 8:38 PM
One spider book amusingly described this one as 'uncommon unless it occurs in your house'
Water Bent has exploded in numbers in Kent too. No records in the 1982 plant atlas, only 13 squares in the 2010 edition (seen here). Now it's a very common street weed.
November 15, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Water Bent has exploded in numbers in Kent too. No records in the 1982 plant atlas, only 13 squares in the 2010 edition (seen here). Now it's a very common street weed.
Reposted by Ian Beavis
A fantastic haul of beautiful Waxcaps and associated grassland fungi at Felbrigg Hall in north #Norfolk with @waxcapscooch.bsky.social today. One of the top sites in the county.
November 13, 2025 at 6:01 PM
A fantastic haul of beautiful Waxcaps and associated grassland fungi at Felbrigg Hall in north #Norfolk with @waxcapscooch.bsky.social today. One of the top sites in the county.
Reposted by Ian Beavis
Another obscure road verge, another Mediterranean fruit tree..
Hot on the heels of last week’s self-set Olive Olea europea today’s #NorfolkFloraGroup star find was a self-set Peach Prunus persica!
Hot on the heels of last week’s self-set Olive Olea europea today’s #NorfolkFloraGroup star find was a self-set Peach Prunus persica!
November 15, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Another obscure road verge, another Mediterranean fruit tree..
Hot on the heels of last week’s self-set Olive Olea europea today’s #NorfolkFloraGroup star find was a self-set Peach Prunus persica!
Hot on the heels of last week’s self-set Olive Olea europea today’s #NorfolkFloraGroup star find was a self-set Peach Prunus persica!
Reposted by Ian Beavis
#FlyFriday
beautiful dark-colored assassin fly Diogmites nigripennis (Macquart, 1847) (Asilidae: Dasypogoninae) with wasp prey - collected at La Selva, Costa Rica in 2010 - 1 of 125 species of assassin flies known from this lowland rainforest habitat - n2t.net/ark:/65665/3...
#asiloidflies
beautiful dark-colored assassin fly Diogmites nigripennis (Macquart, 1847) (Asilidae: Dasypogoninae) with wasp prey - collected at La Selva, Costa Rica in 2010 - 1 of 125 species of assassin flies known from this lowland rainforest habitat - n2t.net/ark:/65665/3...
#asiloidflies
November 14, 2025 at 8:18 PM
#FlyFriday
beautiful dark-colored assassin fly Diogmites nigripennis (Macquart, 1847) (Asilidae: Dasypogoninae) with wasp prey - collected at La Selva, Costa Rica in 2010 - 1 of 125 species of assassin flies known from this lowland rainforest habitat - n2t.net/ark:/65665/3...
#asiloidflies
beautiful dark-colored assassin fly Diogmites nigripennis (Macquart, 1847) (Asilidae: Dasypogoninae) with wasp prey - collected at La Selva, Costa Rica in 2010 - 1 of 125 species of assassin flies known from this lowland rainforest habitat - n2t.net/ark:/65665/3...
#asiloidflies
More from 'British Blood-sucking Flies', Edwards Oldroyd & Smart, 1939
November 13, 2025 at 10:43 PM
More from 'British Blood-sucking Flies', Edwards Oldroyd & Smart, 1939
A portrait of the mosquito in question, Culiseta annulata, from 'British Blood-sucking Flies' (1939)
November 13, 2025 at 10:41 PM
A portrait of the mosquito in question, Culiseta annulata, from 'British Blood-sucking Flies' (1939)
Reposted by Ian Beavis
Good morning from Greece 🇬🇷
Banded Garden Spider (Argiope trifasciata).
This species native range is the Americas, but it has been introduced to many places worldwide, and now it has found my Greek island too. First records were 2023.
Banded Garden Spider (Argiope trifasciata).
This species native range is the Americas, but it has been introduced to many places worldwide, and now it has found my Greek island too. First records were 2023.
October 25, 2025 at 5:56 AM
Good morning from Greece 🇬🇷
Banded Garden Spider (Argiope trifasciata).
This species native range is the Americas, but it has been introduced to many places worldwide, and now it has found my Greek island too. First records were 2023.
Banded Garden Spider (Argiope trifasciata).
This species native range is the Americas, but it has been introduced to many places worldwide, and now it has found my Greek island too. First records were 2023.
Reposted by Ian Beavis
Lunuled wings gleam,
Banded dancers trace green paths—
Ivy hums with life.
#Haiku #haikupoem #haikupoetry #Hoverflies #flies #Insects #pollinator #nature #syrphidae #knowledge #biology #wildlife #diptera
Banded dancers trace green paths—
Ivy hums with life.
#Haiku #haikupoem #haikupoetry #Hoverflies #flies #Insects #pollinator #nature #syrphidae #knowledge #biology #wildlife #diptera
November 7, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Lunuled wings gleam,
Banded dancers trace green paths—
Ivy hums with life.
#Haiku #haikupoem #haikupoetry #Hoverflies #flies #Insects #pollinator #nature #syrphidae #knowledge #biology #wildlife #diptera
Banded dancers trace green paths—
Ivy hums with life.
#Haiku #haikupoem #haikupoetry #Hoverflies #flies #Insects #pollinator #nature #syrphidae #knowledge #biology #wildlife #diptera
I was not expecting to see a Clouded Yellow in Calverley Grounds today! This migratory species is most commonly seen on the coast and rarely appears as far inland as Tunbridge Wells
November 12, 2025 at 8:13 PM
I was not expecting to see a Clouded Yellow in Calverley Grounds today! This migratory species is most commonly seen on the coast and rarely appears as far inland as Tunbridge Wells
Females of the mining bees Lasioglossum morio (left, one of the bronze-green metallic species) & L lativentre in Calverley Grounds today. Lasioglossum females hibernate as adults, so may stay active very late in a warm autumn.
November 12, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Females of the mining bees Lasioglossum morio (left, one of the bronze-green metallic species) & L lativentre in Calverley Grounds today. Lasioglossum females hibernate as adults, so may stay active very late in a warm autumn.
Reposted by Ian Beavis
My first Snow Flea (Boreus hyemalis) of the winter at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve today. Nice of her to pose out in the open on a fallen leaf, so didn't need to spend hours waiting for one to emerge from the Polytrichum moss! @ynuorg.bsky.social #Mecoptera #Boreidae #ukwildlife
November 9, 2025 at 3:41 PM
My first Snow Flea (Boreus hyemalis) of the winter at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve today. Nice of her to pose out in the open on a fallen leaf, so didn't need to spend hours waiting for one to emerge from the Polytrichum moss! @ynuorg.bsky.social #Mecoptera #Boreidae #ukwildlife
Reposted by Ian Beavis
I've waited a lifetime to find Striated Bird's Nest fungus, and this week I've seen it twice! Also a magnificent colony of Coral Slime-mould, a troop of another slime-mould Physarum sp. with a lime-encrusted peridium and a heap of Witch's Butter. At @wildlifebcn.org Old Sulehay NR
📷🍄
📷🍄
November 10, 2025 at 9:27 PM
I've waited a lifetime to find Striated Bird's Nest fungus, and this week I've seen it twice! Also a magnificent colony of Coral Slime-mould, a troop of another slime-mould Physarum sp. with a lime-encrusted peridium and a heap of Witch's Butter. At @wildlifebcn.org Old Sulehay NR
📷🍄
📷🍄
Reposted by Ian Beavis
Great to see the paper by @ecology-digest.bsky.social and I on the new British woodlouse (Chaetophiloscia elongata) now available. Check it (and other great material) out at bmig.org.uk/view/resourc...
November 10, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Great to see the paper by @ecology-digest.bsky.social and I on the new British woodlouse (Chaetophiloscia elongata) now available. Check it (and other great material) out at bmig.org.uk/view/resourc...
Reposted by Ian Beavis
Very unexpected little visitor to the ivy on Saturday morning - and seemed much larger than usual! The photobombing greenbottle is trying on butterfly-wings. A third generation this late in the year is apparently unusual, but could be a sign of our changing times.
November 10, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Very unexpected little visitor to the ivy on Saturday morning - and seemed much larger than usual! The photobombing greenbottle is trying on butterfly-wings. A third generation this late in the year is apparently unusual, but could be a sign of our changing times.
Hedge Mustard on the edge of Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour
November 9, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Hedge Mustard on the edge of Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour
Second growth of Cow Parsley on Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour
November 9, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Second growth of Cow Parsley on Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour
Atlas Poppy long naturalised on the edge of Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour
November 9, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Atlas Poppy long naturalised on the edge of Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour