Richard Lewington

Just about finished illustrations of all the 47 Coccinellidae of GB&I for a field guide with @UKLadybirds Helen Roy and Peter Brown. Here are a few of them.

Usually a bit tatty but this Pine Hawk-moth was in pristine condition this morning. Subtly beautiful.

Met a group of Purple Emperor enthusiasts in Savernake today, watching this male. A bit later I came across a lovely female. Also caught a glimpse of ⁦@MatthewOates76⁩

While attention is often drawn by the obvious, the natural wonder may remain unseen. Wildlife makes my life purposeful and photography encapsulates this passion. Thus, I invite you to help me photograph insects better here: gofund.me/e09df85c Spread the word!🦋 Thank you!💚

My first glance into the trap this morning revealed a mass of Elephant Hawk-moths, plus several goodies - Dark-bordered Pearl - Evergestis limbata, Olive-tree Pearl - Palpita vitrealis and a Small Mottled Willow.

Worker Median Wasp - Dolichovespula media in the moth trap last night

A beautiful Chamaesphecia sp. in the #garden on a Common Hop leaf. #Insects deserve quality #habitats which means ensuring #hedges that provide shelter are available. Want to help my work on insect conservation? Please support my campaign here: gofundme.com/f/help-radosla… Thank you!

One of my favourite moths from last night, the withered leaf-like female Lilac Beauty

Dancing damselflies around the garden pond this afternoon. Common Blue and Blue-tailed.

Welcome to Round 1 of Nature or No Nature! @Keir_Starmer, you were elected on a promise to meet legally binding nature targets. Now, funding for nature, and laws protecting species and habitats, are at risk. So, for a chance to win back public trust, your first question:

Don’t get many grasshoppers in the garden, so this male Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus was a welcome find.

My first impressive Privet Hawk-moth of the year.

Nice looking tachinid fly Thelaira solivaga in the garden this morning.

A young male Red-eyed Damselfly in the garden this morning. The yellow will eventually turn sky-blue and the eyes deep-red as he matures.

Worth supporting Radoslav in his work with insects.

One of many freshly emerged Drake Mackerel - Ephemera vulgata male, by the Thames this morning.

A fine female Common Clubtail from the Thames this morning.

This is Trachyzelotes pedestris, found locally on chalk and limestone grassland, so what was she doing in my bed this morning? No need to panic, just 8mm long.

After a Dingy Skipper last week, another first for the garden - female Hairy Dragonfly - Brachytron pratense. Not sure if she emerged from the pond.

Amazing that I’ve discovered colonies of Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, both high priority species, less than a mile from my home, and I even had a DS visit my garden a few days ago for the first time.

Lovely female mayfly Ephemera danica in the garden this morning.