Graham Smith

Learn a little about something little and it will always surprise you. Migrating to @[email protected] & 🐝🐜🦟🐞 + @BixelBugs!

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

Very excited to announce that I will be starting my PhD 'Measuring the impact of rewilding on pollinator biodiversity: what can machine learning tell us?' supervised by Dr Tom Reader in October @UniofNottingham!! 🐝

Wonderful to visit the Boothby Wildlands study site last week.

[Liam Olds @olds_liam]

It's Great Big Green Week at @DyffrynGardenNT next week! Join me for a series of nature walks on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th June (3 walks per day) to discover the Garden's insect life (dragonflies/damselflies, bees & other pollinators). 🔗 https://t.co/XOIdUQGDYt

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

Stumbled upon a Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn ovipositing on hogweed on Saturday, very cool to see!

Thought they were deadwood associated until seeing Part 1 of Wil Heeney's talk. Part 2 is this week https://t.co/G8MCs1I9Q0

@NLonghornRS @theponker @ColSocBI @KeironDBrown

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

If you haven't already - last chance to grab some tickets for the guided insect walks I am running with Honeycraft (a fantastic small charity) today!

The walks will be taking place at Everard meadows and there will be signposting on site to find us.

https://t.co/WllxzAchml

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

@Theponker Probably not optimal (I am early doors with this more than you Will!) but as PG is water soluble I give them a gentle wash with water and then blow dry at a distance on a cold setting pre-pinning - some features never come out as well vs freezer!

I really need a mini-hairdrier!

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

Near Leicestershire and fancy a bug-filled day out? Honeycraft are running a Blossom & Buzz festival on the 19th May at Everard Meadows https://t.co/m2PEojdQUs

I will be leading guided walks to explore the site's hidden insect diversity! Sign up £3/person https://t.co/bLcgygl4VE

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

@olds_liam @StevenFalk1 Unfortunately very similar, was hoping you had had better luck! I had next to no suitable sampling days myself last month.

Things are looking up for May here so fingers crossed for you too 🤞

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

Excited to find a ♂ Nomada ferruginata yesterday if my eyes aren't deceived - unexpected test pilot for my capture chamber!
If correct I have noticed lots of posts on their expanding range @StevenFalk1 @olds_liam are you aware of any records this far north in South Lincs (VC53)?

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

@olds_liam @StevenFalk1 Thank you Liam! Hope you have been having an exciting start to the field season - will see what Steven says

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

@BroadGavin @flygirlNHM @NHM_Diptera Brilliant, will do. Thank you Gavin!

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

Hoping to investigate gathering specimen photos to machine learning - who might it be best to get in touch with regarding accessing and photographing the insect collections? Specifically hoverflies and aculeate hymenoptera (excl. ants)? @BroadGavin @flygirlNHM @NHM_Diptera

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

@BroadGavin @bob3brown Woah that's amazing @BroadGavin! Would love to see that - which species of wasp nest were they using (germanica or vulgaris)?

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

@TBeetles @Coleopterist @thiswordistaken On the 5mm mark so that would make sense Adrian, thank you.

The size ruled out longicollis anyway. brevicollis does seem to have a more bulbous section on the upper part (is that the velum?) with the termimal part (bottom) less tucked up, and the specimen is metallic blue

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

Not everyday you post genitalia on here!

I have spermatheca (and styles + spiculum) of an Altica sp. however I am having trouble matching to pictures of Duff. A. longicollis seemed most similar but wrong habitat (grassland) Any tips/help @Coleopterist @TBeetles @thiswordistaken?

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

@StevenFalk1 @olds_liam Brilliant, thank you Steven just seen this, will investigate those!

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

@StevenFalk1 @olds_liam Steven and Liam do you know of any good compilations of photos/diagrams of UK male Andrena genitalia?

Nothing like highly specific requests!

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

@madjanev @StNicksFields What an amazing photo!!

Almost looks as though it has had a cream pie smashed over its head!

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

One of my favourite shieldbug species - uploaded some pixel art here of it yesterday. Aiming to put something out each Sunday!

[Bixel - Biological recording in pixels @BixelBugs]

Six-Legged Sunday! Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale (Hawthorn shieldbug)

Our largest UK shieldbug. Despite being a 'non-caring' species (unlike the Parent bug) they do not leave their eggs unloved, coating them in a protective substance from their Pendergrast’s organs!

@BritishBugs

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

@olds_liam @rctlnp Beautiful shot Liam! I saw them for the first time this year myself when I wasn't expecting it - made for a great day indeed!

After seeing one, it was one after another

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

Last week BBC East Midlands produced a feature on Boothby Wildlands, watch below at 11min 38, available until tonight!

I was excited to be interviewed, talk bugs and aesthetically sweep some wheat for the programme!
@RewildingB @bbcemt @RoyEntSoc @BBCOne

https://t.co/2Qy48VHatn

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

@NHM_Coleoptera @Coleopterist @TBeetles @thiswordistaken Date *27.07.23!

[Graham Smith @GrahamSmithEnto]

Good luck with Tortoise beetles at the moment!

Miniscule species with a metallic sheen - Cassida hemisphaerica (High Fen 27.06.23) @NHM_Coleoptera @Coleopterist @TBeetles @thiswordistaken which if so is a new site for a scarce species! Fantastic. Swept near to bladder campion.