Martin Lavelle

@martinlavelle

Humanist, interested in invertebrates, retired theoretical physicist owned by two cats.

295 Siguiendo224 Seguidores555 Publicaciones

Bluesky

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Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· 7d

Two female #Melanophora roralis, Dark winged #woodlouse flies, seen in #Plymouth. The second is the same species but #teneral. #Diptera Surprised by the difference. Thanks to expert for ID-ing the second. Understand that teneral and tender have the same root.

A dark, female, Melanophora roralis, fly with very pale rear tips to her wings.

A very pale, female, Melanophora roralis, fly with very pale rear tips to her wings. The pale colour indicates teneral, freshly emerged from the pupal stage.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· 7d

A #Psyllid, Lauritrioza alacris, the Bay sucker, under a #Bay leaf in #Plymouth garden, 7/8/26. Surprised by the tiny water droplets. #Entomology

A tiny insect, perhaps 4mm long including the long wings, In front two droplets of water with diameter less than half the length of the body of the Psyllid.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· 19d

The pub with the exit to the street of sitting cats

A cat sitting outside a pub. It looks like a typical Plymouth Street, but the door is a portal to another dimension where cats don't write novels.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· 24d

Lovely to see three female Parent #bugs ( #Elasmucha grisea) looking after their eggs on Silver birch trees on @plymuni.bsky.social campus, 21/7/26.

A female Parent bug on top of her eggs on the leaf of a Silver birch tree

Another female Parent bug on top of her eggs on the leaf of a second Silver birch tree

A third female Parent bug on top of her eggs on the leaf of the second Silver birch tree

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· 26d

Is this perhaps Agriphila inquinatella? Thank you to @mothiduk.bsky.social for any comments? Plymouth, 19/7/26.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Jun 12

A female Parent bug, Elasmucha grisea, with her young on a Silver birch on @plymuni.bsky.social campus, 12/6/26. #Hemiptera #Entomology

Silver birch Catkin with many Shieldbug nymphs (Elasmucha grisea 2nd instar and the adult female).

Lots of 2nd instar Parent bug nymphs on Silver birch Catkin.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Jun 11

#Aphids in #Plymouth garden on #Teasel. Think Macrosiphum rosae.

Close up of stalk and inner leaves of Teasel. Lots of green Aphids with black siphunculi and black knees, so think perhaps Macrosiphum rosae.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Jun 4

Think perhaps a Riband wave #Moth in Plymouth. #Geometridae

A geometridae Moth. Pale on a pale background. Lines across all wings.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Jun 3

Pardosa #Spider taking her egg sac for a hike over Mount Cat.

White cat on unmown grass with a black dot .. Spider

Pardosa Spider with paper egg sac on white cat's fur. Green grass in background.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· May 27

A #Mullein #caterpillar on Figwort in #Plymouth garden, 27/5/26. Pic revealed a second one. #Lepidoptera #Entomology #Cucullia verbasci

A colourful Mullein caterpillar (pale, black and yellow) with feet on Figwort stalk and head at residual leaf. A smaller caterpillar trying to eat the same area.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· May 20

Parent bug, #Elasmucha grisea, in #Plymouth, 19/5/26. On gatepost to terraced house. Silver birch nearby in front garden. Perhaps male from antennae. #Shieldbugs #entomology #Devon

Shieldbug on pale background of plastered gatepost. Black and white connexivum. Mostly pale green legs with pinkish tarsii. Dark antennae so perhaps male.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· May 3

#Rhizostoma plumo, Barrel #jellyfish, under #Bideford bridge, 3/5/26.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· May 1

Mint #moth #Pyrausta aurata on something like Fuchsia microphylla in #Plymouth front garden. #Lepidoptera

A slightly purple and also somewhat brown Mint moth, aka Small purple and gold, on background of green leaves. Hooped abdomen and yellow dashes on wings.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Apr 27

A #Geometridae #Moth in #DevonWildlifeTrust Warleigh Point reserve in coastal woodland with much Oak. Landed on my shoulder (thanks to friend for taking the pics). Is this perhaps Cyclophora punctaria? Thank you to @mothiduk.bsky.social for any comments.

A pale Moth with three curving lines from forewing to forewing. Central one darkest and continuous but not very res. Outermost dotted, innermost somewhat broken. A row of "stitches" along trailing edge of wings.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Mar 4

Palomena prasina #Shieldbug in #Plymouth yesterday #Spring #Entomology

A Green shieldbug, with a brown membrane at the rump end of the wings, on a green leaf.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Mar 2

Saw various Wall #Lizards in #Germany by the #Mosel. There were migrating #Cranes flying above. #Spring #Fruehjahr

Two Wall lizards by the bank of the Mosel river

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Mar 2

#Xylocopa violacea #Entomology #CarpenterBee #Bee Back from visiting family in Germany where spring was springing.

Violet carpenter bee on a roughly plastered, white wall.
Blue visible on wings. Think male.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Feb 25

European firebug, Pyrrhocoris apterus.

A red Bug with black markings that identify the species, Pyrrhocoris apterus. On a roughly plastered wall.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Feb 20

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Feb 6

#Dicyrtomina saundersi a #globular #Springtail. Two seen in small Plymouth garden today.

Dicyrtomina saundersi, a Springtail, on a wall. The antennae change colour halfway and there is a sort of "xmas tree" pattern rear centre of the abdomen

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Feb 5

Believe to be female Dilophus febrilis, the Fever fly, on @plymuni.bsky.social campus, 4/2/25. (Rear left leg moving too fast for my stacking.) #Diptera

A dark Fly on a wall. Tip of wings clear while further up dark.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Feb 5

#Springtail #Orchesella cincta on gatepost, #Plymouth, #Collembola

Orchesella cincta Springtail with its distinctive belt and annulations on antennae, legs and rear of abdomen.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Feb 4

Can cope with cats

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Jan 8

Yesterday before the storm arrived. #Plymouth Sound from #Freedom Fields #Devon

View from a park towards the sea in Plymouth, UK. Sun reflecting off the water. Breakwater fort in the distance.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Jan 6

Frosty start in #Plymouth

Sun rising; red sky; white, frosty roofs; light reflecting off river Plym.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Dec 31

Male #Scathophaga stercoraria, Golden dung #fly. Mount Wise, #Plymouth, 31/12/25. #Diptera

A golden Fly with black antennae and golden hairs on his front legs.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Dec 29

A male #Bullfinch today in #Devon on the edge of #Dartmoor.

A male Bullfinch: rich, pink breast, black cap, wings slate grey and black with a white wing marking and white vent.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Dec 10

#Orchesella cincta #Springtail in #Plymouth on day after storm. #Collembola

An Orchesella cincta Springtail (visible hooped body pattern with some pattern on antennae) on front garden wall of terraced house.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Dec 2

A lovely #Hawthorn #shield #bug in #Plymouth today after heavy rain and some hail. On Himalayan honeysuckle on @plymuni.bsky.social campus, Drake's Place garden.

Hawthorn shield bug on green leaf. Can see the red lateral tips of the pronotum.

Martin Lavelle@martinlavelle· Nov 23

Aglais urticae, Small tortoiseshell, flew onto me last night. Escorted out. Flew back in. Escorted out. #Butterfly