Andrew Jewels

@andrew-jewels

Inconspicuous ladybirds are my main interest but I enjoy finding and identifying all wildlife, especially insects and birds. All records submitted to iRecord. Check out my online guide to identifying inconspicuous ladybirds at

186 Following393 Followers426 Posts

Bluesky

Is this your profile?Claim it and andrew-jewels.dirty.social is yours.Claim profile

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· 17d

Found 38 Striped Shieldbugs (Graphosoma italicum) in Abbey Gardens, Waltham Abbey today 29th July. TL38270087. #EssexWildlife #UKBugs

Mating pair of Striped Shieldbugs on Hemlock seed heads.

Side view of Striped Shieldbug on Hemlock seed head

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· 19d

#LadybirdYearList Species #22: a Dot Ladybird (Stethorus pusillus) tapped out of a Field Maple hedge in Upshire a few days ago 24th July. Seems to be a boom and bust species in my area, occasionally very common but difficult to find so far this year. #EssexWildlife #UKLadybirds

Dot Ladybird: tiny black oval beetle with yellow legs

Field Maple hedge with white umbrella on ground in front of it.

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· 20d

#LadybirdYearList Species #21: four Ivy Ladybirds (Nephus quadrimaculatus) tapped out of an ivy covered hedge in Upshire a few days ago 23rd July. Took a long time to find any this year! #EssexWildlife #UKLadybirds

Ivy Ladybird: tiny black beetle with four red spots

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· 21d

#LadybirdYearList Species #20: a single 18-spot Ladybird (Myrrha octodecimguttata) tapped out of an ornamental pine tree in an Upshire garden a couple of days ago 23rd July. #EssexWildlife #UKLadybirds

18-spot Ladybird on pale canvas background

18-spot Ladybird: maroon coloured beetle with white spots and markings

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· 24d

I think this weevil is Magdalis rufa, a newly arrived species in SE England, tapped out of a pine tree in Upshire, Essex on 19th July, alongside six Conifer Ladybirds (Scymnus suturalis). #EssexWildlife #UKWeevils #UKLadybirds

Probable Magdalis rufa, a small brown weevil on pale canvas background.

Probable Magdalis rufa, a small brown weevil.

Conifer Ladybird, small oval brown beetle.

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· 26d

Found four Western Conifer Seed Bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis) nymphs in pine trees in Upshire, Essex yesterday 19th July. #EssexWildlife #UKBugs

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· 27d

A quick visit to Ninefields, Waltham Abbey yesterday produced 271 adult Striped Shieldbugs (Graphosoma italicum) plus my first nymphs of the year, two late instars and two early instars. TL397005 #EssexWildlife #UKBugs

Late instar Striped Shieldbug nymph on Hogweed

Two adult and two early instar Striped Shieldbugs on Hogweed seed head.

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· Jul 14

Visiting friends in NE England this weekend timed for a few nice helleborine taxa: the endemic Lindisfarne Helleborine; Tyne Helleborine, the local form of Dune Helleborine; a spectacular display of Dark Red Helleborine and the curious late flowering "Young's Helleborine". #UKOrchids

Lindisfarne Helleborine (Epipactis sancta) growing amongst dune vegetation.

Dune Helleborine (Epipactis dunensis var. tynensis) growing on woodland floor.

Dark Red Helleborine (Epipactis atrorubens) growing on limestone grassland.

Young's Helleborine in churchyard surrounding, possibly late flowering variety of Epipactis helleborine.

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· Jul 6

#PanSpeciesListing Oak Ladybird (Scymnus auritus) currently showing well in Abbey Gardens, Waltham Abbey in small oak tree at TL38220089. Tree covered in Phylloxera prey. Larvae easily found by turning leaves over, adults can be tapped but flighty in hot weather. #EssexWildlife #UKLadybirds

Two Oak Ladybird larvae with Phylloxera prey on underside of oak leaf

Large numbers of tiny Phylloxera on underside of oak leaf.

Railing with sign for Stoney Bridge, oak tree in background

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· Jun 30

Counted 18 Striped Shieldbugs in Abbey Gardens, Waltham Abbey yesterday, 29th June. #EssexWildlife #UKBugs

Two Striped Shieldbugs on bramble leaf, a third visible in background but out of focus.

Underside of Striped Shieldbug showing black spots on red.

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· Jun 29

#LadybirdYearList Species #19: Oak Ladybird (Scymnus auritus) two males, two females and three larvae tapped out of a small oak tree in Abbey Gardens, Waltham Abbey today 29th June. #EssexWildlife #UKLadybirds

Male Oak Ladybird: oval black beetle with red front on pale canvas background

Female Oak Ladybird: black oval beetle with red tip to rear end.

Oak Ladybird larva: orangey larva with small head and lots of white cotton like tufts.

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· Jun 25

Found this female Western Willow Spreadwing (Chalcolestes viridis) resting on a Firethorn shrub in an Upshire garden today, 25th June. I mostly see this species randomly away from water. #EssexWildlife #UKDragonflies

Western Willow Spreadwing: long thin green damselfly perched on twiggy shrub.

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· Jun 19

Counted 29 Striped Shieldbugs (Graphosoma italicum) at Ninefields, Waltham Abbey today. The middle of the streamside vegetation has been strimmed but still some habitat remaining along the edges. TL397005 #EssexWildlife #UKBugs

Side view of Striped Shieldbug on green leaf.

Partially strimmed streamside banks with large building in background.

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· Jun 15

Some lovely flowers seen in the New Forest on Sunday (14th June), six Lesser Butterfly Orchids, eight Heath Fragrant Orchids only just starting to flower, 460 Heath Spotted Orchids including a spectacular patch with a Wild Gladiolus just about to come into flower. #WildflowerHour

Platanthera bifolia: delicate white orchid growing amongst heather.

Gymnadenia borealis: pink orchid on boggy grassland.

Dactylorhiza maculata: frilly pale orchid with faint purple spots amongst grass.

Gladiolus illyricus with unopened dark pink flowers on right hand side surrounded by many pale pink orchids in grassland with bracken.

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· Jun 12

Saw a nice gathering of blood bees (Sphecodes sp) on sandy ground at Gunners Park, Shoebury on 10th June. Not identifiable but lovely views none the less. #EssexWildlife #UKBees

Black bee with red body and white face on short turf

Black bee with red body obscured by grass stems

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· Jun 10

Weather conditions off Shoebury East Beach, Essex today produced conditions for this Fata Morgana type optical effect with a container ship and a group of Thames Forts showing a partial reflected image underneath whilst appearing to float above the horizon. Not seen anything like this before!

Distant cargo ship appearing to float above sea horizon due to optical effect.

Four Thames Forts with double image floating above horizon due to optical effect.

Thames Forts and cargo ship with slight double image on ship due to waning optical effect.

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· Jun 8

It was great to see that Calvia decemguttata was recently added to the iRecord species list and we can now view the species details. It will be interesting to see how rapidly they spread, there is a lot of potential habitat in the west of the New Forest. #UKLadybirds

Calvia decemguttata: an orange ladybird with white spots on a pale canvas background.

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· Jun 5

Found this lovely Yellow-banded Longhorn (Nemophora degeerella) sitting on my car windscreen in Waltham Abbey earlier this week 1st June. #EssexWildlife #UKMoths

A golden yellow stripy moth with a yellow wing band on a car window

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· Jun 3

Counted 14 Striped Shieldbugs (Graphosoma italicum) in Abbey Gardens on Monday 1st July. Eight in a field margin TL38270087 and six in a moat in the ornamental garden TL38250078. #EssexWildlife #UKBugs

Moat in ornamental garden with tall stand of vegetation to one side

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· Jun 3

Had a careful search of the Hemlock patch at Fishers Green TL379032 recently 30th May but failed to find any Striped Shieldbugs (Graphosoma italicum). I had a max count of 153 in 2024 but only 7 in 2025.

A large stand of white-flowered Hemlock with a tarmac path running through it and trees in the distance.

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· Jun 3

A mating pair of Woundwort Shieldbug (Eysarcoris venustissimus) seen in Waltham Abbey a few days ago, 1st June. A species I see only occasionally. #EssexWildlife #UKBugs

Mating pair of Woundwort Shieldbug on green leaf.

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· Jun 1

#LadybirdYearList Species #18: a rather distant 2-spot Ladybird (Adalia bipunctata) seen on an inaccessible patch of Hemlock in Waltham Abbey today. #EssexWildlife #UKLadybirds

Distant shot of 2-spot Ladybird on Hemlock stem

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· May 31

Swept two Denticulate Leatherbugs (Coriomeris denticulatus) from grassland at Fishers Green yesterday 30th May. Only my second local record. #EssexWildlife #UKBugs

Denticulate Leatherbug: brown bug on clear grey background.

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· May 29

Counted 211 Striped Shieldbugs (Graphosoma italicum) at Ninefields, Waltham Abbey TL397005 on a quick visit today, including many mating pairs. My largest count and probably an under estimate. On dense stream side vegetation with Hogweed and Cow Parsley. #EssexWildlife #UKBugs

Mating pair of Striped Shiedbugs on nettle leaf

Three Striped Shieldbugs on green vegetation

Stream side vegetation with umbellifers, nettles and dock in urban environment

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· May 29

Anthocomus fasciatus from a few weeks back, 5th May, seen in Upshire, Essex. A small beetle but one of my favourites that I see only occasionally. #EssexWildlife #UKBeetles

A small black beetle with red spots on a paving slab.

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· May 29

Visited Wakehurst Place, Sussex a few days ago 27th May. Nice to see Common Spotted Orchids (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) scattered around the grounds and plenty of Azure Damselflies in shady woodland areas. No Tongue-orchids seen, last recorded in 2024 according to garden staff I spoke to.

Common Spotted Orchid with green vegetation in background

Common Spotted Orchid with grass stems in background

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· May 24

Lovely to see six Rose Chafers (Cetonia aurata) on the flowers of a Firethorn shrub in Upshire a few days ago 22nd April, including one mating pair. #EssexWildlife #UKBeetles

Mating pair of Rose Chafers; metallic green beetles on white flowers of Firethorn.

Rose Chafer on white flowers of Firethorn shrub.

Rose Chafer on white flowers of Firethorn

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· May 20

Surprised and pleased to find a snakefly on my car window in Waltham Abbey this afternoon. I think a combination of wing venation pattern and coarsely sculptured head makes this Scarce Snakefly (Subilla confinis), though Small Snakefly (X xanthostigma) is the other possibility. #EssexWildlife

Close up of head of snakefly on car window

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· May 20

A lovely Striped Oak Bug (Rhabdomiris striatellus) tapped out of hawthorn in Waltham Abbey a few days ago 17th May. #EssexWildlife #UKBugs

An attractive yellow, orange and black stripy bug on a pale canvas background.

Andrew Jewels@andrew-jewels· May 19

Tapped this Mordellochroa abdominalis out of Dogwood at Fishers Green yesterday 18th May. One of the tumbling flower beetle species, difficult to photograph as it kept tumbling about in my umbrella. #EssexWildlife #UKBeetles