David W. Williams
@vc40orthops.bsky.social
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.
That's fascinating. thank you!
November 27, 2025 at 10:26 PM
That's fascinating. thank you!
Thanks! I'll DM you...
November 25, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Thanks! I'll DM you...
Thanks Nigel!
November 24, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Thanks Nigel!
Thanks Andrew. We wondered if we'd ever see another one!
November 24, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Thanks Andrew. We wondered if we'd ever see another one!
We are finding them all over Shropshire & recording them, on the basis that there are no confusion species. So I certainly hope that is the case!
November 22, 2025 at 10:30 AM
We are finding them all over Shropshire & recording them, on the basis that there are no confusion species. So I certainly hope that is the case!
Reposted by David W. Williams
--pigment on their eyes & mandibles. Why? My guess is, if you think about it, a transparent eye can't trap light, so to be useful it needs pigment. As for mandibles, they need to be tough enough to bite food (one here is already nibbling its empty eggshell) and melanin hardens (sclerotizes) them.
November 20, 2025 at 5:45 PM
--pigment on their eyes & mandibles. Why? My guess is, if you think about it, a transparent eye can't trap light, so to be useful it needs pigment. As for mandibles, they need to be tough enough to bite food (one here is already nibbling its empty eggshell) and melanin hardens (sclerotizes) them.