Bugz n Slugz

When hiking around Europe - seeing a fire salamander up close has always been a goal of mine. Do squashed ones on a road count? This one was in Ciso Di Valmarino in Italy.

I must say that Verona is one of my favourite Italian cities - it’s very Lagom as the Swedes would say

Italian airports have one of the worst arrival experiences going at the moment. Nothing works, no organisation, a total shitshow. #milanmalpensaairport #couldntorganiseapissupinabrewery #FixItAgainTony

This is a common slug that is found in Fujairah, UAE. This one is Hypselodoris nigrostriata - and is part of a wider complex of closely related species. #nudibranch #seaslug #invertebrates #marinelife #uae #underwaterphotography

Here is one from the archives - the beautiful Godiva quadricolor from Fujairah, UAE. I’ve been going through my old photos in preparation for a Sea Slug exhibition that will take place in Abu Dhabi next month. #nudibranch #invertebrates #marinelife #seaslug #macro #underwaterphotography

Hypselodoris dollfusi is everywhere on the UAE east coast at the moment. Must be a nice Abu dance of tasty sponges for it to munch on. #nudibranch #marinelife #invertebrates #seaslug #nature

So this little beauty is Caloria militaris from Fujairah in the UAE. It feeds on jellyfish polyps so plays its part in keeping numbers balanced in the marine ecosystem. #nudibranch #marinelife #Invertebrates #seaslugs #macrophotos

Do we have any #micromollusc experts around? Found this yesterday doesn’t at 21m on a wreck in the UAE, was 3mm in length - but super cool #invertebrates #marinelife #gastropods #mollusc

So finally went for a proper dive today - despite projectiles still hitting ships further up the coast. This is a #nudibranch that I have been trying to photograph for years here in the UAE - and I finally found one. Plocamorpherus magaretae #orange #🦑 #🦐 #seaslugs #diving #macro

First dive in Abu Dhabi since the war started - water temperature was 36C (97F) so the corals were stressed and not many slugs about. I did find this minuscule Costasiella - probably the smallest one I have ever seen.

Quite a few scorpions about in the Dubai desert last night. This fat tail scorpion belongs to the Androctonus crassicauda complex

Made a little trip to a Dubai desert reserve last night to look for critters. Got swarmed by these Antlion adults all night long. They are stunning up close and look like little fairies when they flutter around the head torch. #macro #antlion #dubai #invertebrates

This little undescribed Nembrotha is munching on its ascidian prey - nom nom #nudibranch #seaslug #macro #invertebrates

Eupeodes corollae - Migrant Hover Fly - their larvae is a good friend to any rose grower

A little Sumo Mite to brighten your morning

The desert doesn’t need a subject. Sometimes the shapes, shadows and light are enough. What do you see first — the curves, the textures or the colours? #UAEdesert #AbuDhabi #desertphotography #dunes #landscapephotography

I found these strange things in the desert of Abu Dhabi and couldn’t work out what they are. Only thing that came to mind was some type of upturned burrow of a spider - possibly Pterotricha. Each one was about 3-4cm across

Anyone know what this is about? Received in an unsolicited direct message yesterday

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

We often get some interesting vehicles turning up at the pub next door

Nice little hike with the missus this evening in the countryside surrounding our village. #ilmington #cotswolds

📣EUROPEAN RED LIST OF MOTHS PUBLISHED!📣 A m(amm)oth task - huge congratulations to the team! Spoiler: >3000 species assessed at the European level, 704 of them endemic. Ca. 25% are listed as Data Deficient & 11% threatened with extinction. op.europa.eu/en/publicati...

We have a few Hollyhocks on our village walk #ilmington

This little thrush was making a bit of a racket yesterday - perhaps it fledged a bit early. Parents found it and were feeding it later so hopefully all good.

First bit of evidence that I have foxes visiting the garden - my dog also decided to have a bit of Eau de Fox to her scent - so shower for her this morning

Arrived back in the Uk yesterday and noticed the area is awash with many moths. This one decided to rest in the house today - I believe it is Noctua pronuba - Large yellow underwing. It’s a shame I can’t seem to record it on the iRecord app.

This is what popped up out of my pond this year - some type of flag Iris

Something for the weekend sir?

One of the little wildflower areas in my Ilmington garden. I believe this was a woodland mix.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

#PollinatorWeek So I’m not great with bees here in the UK - it will be a native one and possibly some type of mining bee. It’s perched on a non-native plant (introduced in the 16th Century) - Astrantia major (Great Masterwort)

#PollinatorWeek Or am I too late to the party. Here is a Painted Lady butterfly (Vanessa Cardui). The ones we get in the UK are migratory from North Africa and the Middle East - heck of a distance on such little wings.

Misumena vatia - Goldenrod Crab Spider perched on a rose petal awaiting its prey to fly in.

I nice example of Korscheltellus lupulina found on one of my Rose bushes in the UK.

Here is another one from my UK garden, Oedemera nobilis (Thick-legged Flower Beetle) hanging out on a rose.

Found this great little predatory fly in my garden when I was back in the UK the other week. Not a common sighting as they normally spend their time in tree canopies. Xanthostigma xanthostigma (Small Snakefly)

The thing with living in the Cotswolds is that when rooting around in the garden you can unearth stones with fossilised creatures. But then again walls of my house are also full of sea creature fossils.

britainsfavouritebutterfly.co.uk/butterfly/pu... Purple Emperor

From the photo my wife has sent me of the wild section of my garden, it looks like I am going to have a busy week on my sojourn back to the UK from Abu Dhabi. That hogweed needs thinning out a fair bit to let the other wildflowers have a chance to break through.

One thing I noticed whilst walking around the Abu Dhabi Natural History Museum - they have this little tardigrade models dotted across the site. I’m sure it’s some type of challenge aimed at children - so will be sure to look into it more on my next visit

When we bought our house last June, I was aware that one of the trees in the garden was a Hawthorn. So I was expecting a nice display of the white this June, but have been pleasantly surprised it is a red variety. I’m sure the bees will still love it.

A lovely surprise from my wife - a first edition Book of Spiders by W. S. Bristowe. This book is nearly 70 years old and is in great condition - I feel a great responsibility to keep it that way. #Invertebrates #Spiders #Spoods

Just been gifted by a friend “The Book of Barely Imagined Beings” by @casparhenderson.bsky.social Looking forward to a full geek out

So this was the result from this mornings dive in the Abu Dhabi Marina. Very poor visibility and masses of silt did not mar good conditions - but was much better than what was going on up in the sky at the time.