Lydia Cox

Freelance consultant entomologist

Coleoptera verifier for the HBRG
In search of weird and wonderful insects, wild foraging, and beautiful views

[Lydia Cox @Lydoptera]

Interesting find from my local nature reserve. Larval cells of Crossocerus wasps stocked with larders of dead flies, and on closer inspection larvae and some pupae. Looking in more dead wood I also found sawdust piles outside the entrance of other nests

#hymenoptera #entomology

[Mark Clements @MarkClements27]

Fox early this morning near Sheringham Cemetery

[Lydia Cox @Lydoptera]

Absolute beast of a four spotted orbweaver from a recent survey plus the weird and wonderful Empicoris vagabundus. Hard to complain about getting up early to empty the moth trap when the sunrise looks that beautiful

#entomology #invertebrates #spider #arachnid #hemiptera

[Lydia Cox @Lydoptera]

@mtnsofscotland I should also say, what fantastic photos!

[Lydia Cox @Lydoptera]

@mtnsofscotland Gutted to have missed them! Is there anyway to get notifications that they've been seen in Aberdeenshire?

[Lydia Cox @Lydoptera]

A fun (perilous?) day out with @savebutterflies @BC_Scotland
on Saturday looking for Callisto coffeella leaf mines on the slopes of Glen Doll. A wonderful group of people and fantastic views.

Delighted to find Teloleuca pellucens as well!

#moths #entomology #hemiptera

[Alliance for Scotland's Rainforest @ASRainforest]

The sheer range of lichens that you'll find in #ScotlandsRainforest is a bit 🤯! Look closely, and you'll see different species all mixed up together with mosses and liverworts and filmy ferns and fungi and slime moulds...
📷 Gordon Willoughby, Jill Donnachie, Gus Routledge

[Lydia Cox @Lydoptera]

After dissection I believe this charming Gelechid from Aboyne, Scotland is Monochroa tenebrella

I imagine very under recorded rather than all that rare

#lepidoptera #teammoth #entomology

[Lydia Cox @Lydoptera]

Fantastic weekend in Evanton with
@BSBIScotland including sea aster, false fox sedge, and SO MUCH greater sea spurrey amongst other treasures

I didn't help myself to any sea aster although I hear it's delicious but there was enough pearlwort for seasoning #botany #wildforaging

[Lydia Cox @Lydoptera]

My first time finding Pyropterus nigroruber in Scotland, always a treat to see! From mixed birch/pine woodland margin full of wild raspberries 😊

#beetle #entomology #coleoptera

[Lydia Cox @Lydoptera]

Wild foraging find of the week - a pristine monster of an Agaricus augustus ☺️

One of the best mushrooms I've tried so far, reminiscent of pork belly pan fried with some garlic white wine, and brown sugar

#wildforaging #foraging #wildmushroom #fungi #agaricus #wildfood

[Lydia Cox @Lydoptera]

White storks from camping at @KneppSafaris last month, the best my camera could do at a distance :)

[Simon Knott @SJBKnott]

Chrysolina marginata found today on lawn in Bengeo garden, rare leaf beetle associated with Yarrow (Achillea millefolium). Only known in Herts from single site near Watford. @hertsbna #Chrysomelinae

[Dr Douglas Boyes @diarsia]

On a recent moth ID course, someone asked, 'why can't they group similar ones together?'

Well, @JLowenWildlife has done just that in his new "gateway guide"! 350 of the commonest UK macro and micros are ordered by season, with similar species placed together. [1/2]

[Martine🦋Brennan🍄 @BrennanMartine]

Look what I found today: fruiting Turquoise Elfcup fungus (Chlorociboria aeruginascens) or Green Elfcup (Chlorociboria aeruginosa). These Elfcups have been on my wish list for years, so it made me happy 😊.

[Chris van Swaay @chrisvanswaay]

Nothing as attractive as good shit.

[Matt Shardlow @MattEAShardlow]

Getting ragwort into perspective -

[Dr Beulah Garner @thiswordistaken]

On Pause…👏😁 Paussini Cerapterus quadrimaculatus is a real chonk of a beetle. From the ants nests of Java & Nepal 🐜

[Ben Andrew @benandrewphotos]

Some recent Puss Moth caterpillars! Amazing to have a small colony of these locally!

[Lydia Cox @Lydoptera]

@rockgod1970 A chrysolina species, probably C. bankii :)

[Lydia Cox @Lydoptera]

Stunningly beautiful Cryptocephalus hypochaeridis from Box Hill where there was plenty of mouse ear hawkweed (a preferred food plant)

#entomology #coleoptera