Dr Stuart Green
@stuvigreen
Entomologist & Rewilder, Grasshopper Whisperer
Apparently, this “monster” touched my daughter’s bum when she sat down on the toilet in her holiday cabin and scared her! A marvellous Cliften Nonpareil (it’s the big one with the blue/grey band on its hindwings).
Surveying Large Marsh Grasshoppers in the New Forest, the other weekend. Grasshopper numbers seemed to be slightly down on last year, but not by much. The bogs were still wet!
Hair visitor! He didn’t stay long - this strange new vegetation type was not to his liking!
If there’s suitable scaffolding to support their webs, high numbers can occur in a small area. In 2024 the fence around the main car park at Roydon Common NNR had at least 25 and they were catching lots of grasshoppers. This one, in the New Forest, has recently bagged a male Large Marsh Grasshopper.
☀️Spent last weekend in the New Forest, surveying Large Marsh Grasshoppers (LMG) with @citizenzoo.bsky.social We always enjoy camping under the big oaks at Hollands Wood, with Wood Crickets chirping nearby. Sworn enemy of grasshoppers, this Wasp Spider recently bagged a LMG.😬 Otherwise, v enjoyable!
Last Thurs, I got back to nature by sleeping out in it! In a quiet corner of Norfolk, I spent the night in a paddock, by a pond, beneath trees. No traffic, the silence amplified the sounds of nature, with Tawny Owls hooting, a few deer barking. Above, the silent stars followed their lonely paths. ❤️
It’s thirsty now. I walked along the Derwent yesterday in Belper, and the path was hard as concrete, the grass like hay in many places.
The first White-letter Hairstreak below has been pecked by a bird, but its distractor tail tips served their purpose! Look closely and you’ll see the Silver-washed Fritillary is ovipositing on tree bark, which was overhanging dog violets (the caterpillar’s food plant) growing on the ground below.
I found these 2 basking on rock (millstone grit) by a shallow, peaty pool, up on the Roaches in Staffordshire 3 years ago. One was making a loud buzzing noise. I presume it had decoupled its flight muscles and was warming up before take-off.
My old chum Mike & I had a great day out enjoying nature in Yorkshire … in the heat! 🥵 At Fairburn Ings the highlight was seeing Spoonbills. At Brockadale butterflies galore, including approx 30 Marbled White sightings.
Jerusalem Sage and Foxglove competing for the services of pollinators in our garden. Individual bumblebees are visiting both plants. The rotary clothes line cannot compete!
My latest egg batch of rare Large Marsh Grasshoppers hatched this morning. Heading to Norfolk in a few weeks. “Small Marsh Grasshoppers”! 🥰
I had always thought the church at Helhoughton was unremarkable, until yesterday, when we observed approx 16 swifts hurtling around it squealing loudly. Devil birds definitely nesting there! House martins here favour the eaves of the old school/village hall, swallows nesting in people’s wood sheds.
Abundant butterflies in Helhoughton, Norfolk, today. It’s a great year for Painted Ladies, here seen on Purple Pimpernel. Male Speckled Woods were guarding their sunny patch territories against rival males, in airborne duels. Good numbers of Small Tortoiseshells seen and a solitary Green Hairstreak.
Similar here. The Yellow Rattle is just coming. Will see what the key suggests for my Vetch. For the 1st time, this year I found a Red-&-Black Froghopper, Cercopis vulnerata, on a Hosta in our back garden.
Birdwatching bonanza at Bempton Cliffs, E Yorks, on Monday. In a strong, gusty wind, birds were whizzing around all over the place. But nearing their nests they would sometimes face into the wind and hang there, then slowly reverse in and land! 📷H Green
Gannet pics taken by my son yesterday, in the blasting cliff top wind.
Birdwatching on Bempton Cliffs, then a cliff top walk to Flamborough Head and back, in gusty conditions yesterday. Saw just 2 puffins, but hundreds of gannets, razorbills, kittiwakes and … guillemots! youtu.be/Vg3BA2thqiA?...
We spent the night under “canvas” in E Yorks. It was pretty cold and it rained. But the sun’s shining this morning and we’re off too see puffins, gannets & razorbills.
Norfolk Large Marsh Grasshoppers strutting their stuff on the BBC! 😮 In case you missed it, @citizenzoo.bsky.social ‘s “Hop of Hope” grasshopper rewilding project featured on The One Show (BBC iPlayer: Wed 29 April, approx 7.20-7.25). @norfolknats.bsky.social @wildkenhill.bsky.social
But in a blustery wind, the air outside was filled with Plane tree pollen and flower debris. It was really irritating: everyone coughing, with eyes itchy & watering. 3/3
The evolutionary pilgrimage continued with a visit to the Natural History Museum (Entomology Dept). Waterhouse’s masterpiece looked glorious in the Spring sunshine!☀️ 2/3
Short break in London last week. We visited Charles Darwin’s home, Down House - mostly maintained in its Victorian condition. The study had the feel of a holy shrine! Wish I’d taken a pic of the fab garden. Darwin was 59 when this photo was taken … that’s 6 yrs younger than me!😮 1/2