Tim Worfolk
@timworfolk
Bird illustration, insect photography, getting more local (Topsham, Devon) every year. My photos are here
Mediterranean Spotted Chafer (Oxythyrea funesta). This is my fourth record from Topsham: 2019, 2020 (two) all in our garden. Found this about 1km away near Bowling Green Marsh. I think no other Devon records of this increasingly widespread sp. but possibly now established around here? #coleoptera
I found this spectacular Musk Beetle in a bit of scrub near a new housing development. The larvae develop in willows and the upper Exe Estuary area seems the best place to find this sp. in Devon. #coleoptera
News from the local Wasp Bank: Beewolves very active now also two new spp. for the site: Orange-horned Nomad Bee (Nomada fulvicornis) and White-spotted Digger Wasp (Harpactus tumidus). This tiny spot just gets better and better! Details in ALT Texts. #hymenoptera
Good day for moths it seems. Names etc in ALT Texts though any ID help with first would be much appreciated. #teammoth
35C forecast in Topsham this week so it's decided we go camping in South Devon. About 5 degrees cooler near the coast so not a bad idea. Pond campsite at Beeson held a few Brown-eyed Hawkers so everybody happy. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
More a wasp bank than a bee bank: a 3m section of exposed Devon hedge bank with a marvellous diversity of hymenopteran life. Just a small selection here, names in ALT texts. Topsham, Devon. @melcoate.bsky.social #hymenoptera
Moth ID help please. I suspect this may be Aethes deaurana, rare immigrant but may be becoming established? any thoughts? 5/6/2026 Topsham, Devon. #TeamMoth
Yesterday morning I found this tiny beauty on a gate while walking through Topsham. It looked smart and I didn't recognise it. Turned out to be a new one for me and apparently rare in Devon: Chrysoclista linneella - Lime Flame. #Lepidoptera #teammoth
A new species for me and appears to be another county first: Agrilus biguttatus (Buprestidae). No records for south west on NBN and no Devon records in Martin Luff's 2021 list. Topsham, Devon. #Coleoptera
A few days visiting friends in Surrey, a few hours pottering around lanes, heaths and garden, a few really nice finds. Names etc. in Alt Texts.
Just found my 2nd a couple of days later! Same species this time in Surrey.
Guess who just found their first Snakefly? I been wanting to find one of these beasts for years and when I saw this sat on a leaf I knew immediately what it was. Luckily it's a species that can be identified on forewing venation: Atlantoraphidia maculicollis, Pine Snakefly.
A few beetles from a morning walk by the Exe in Topsham. Local specialities and the now ubiquitous Alder Leaf Beetles: once unknown in these parts, now they're everywhere I look. #coleoptera
As they're in the garden I tend to notice (and photograph) the first emerging LR Damsels and they've been getting steadily earlier over at least the last ten years. My 1st in 2016 was on 12 May; my 1st of 2025 was 7 April. Not a rigorous study but I think I can see a pattern. . .
Spent a few hours pottering about the top end of Topsham today; much noise from M5 but a good range of insects in the hedges and scrub. Names in Alt texts
Surprised to find this female Black Oil Beetle across the road from us today. First I've ever seen in Topsham, now just need to get one for the garden list. #coleoptera
I knew we had newts in our garden pond but always assumed they were the commoner Smooth Newt. I had a closer look today while removing some excess weed and it turns out they're Palmate Newts: not hard to identify once I looked it up. @arc-trust.bsky.social
A new spider for me (assuming I'm identifying it correctly). Cryptachaea blattea (Theridiidae). Back of our house in Topsham, Devon. I've iRecorded it. @britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social
Like saying hello to old friends; lots of familiar faces out and about today. Names in Alt texts
Our eldest having relocated to Copenhagen a few months back, we thought we'd pay him a visit. Managed to fit in a day of birding at nearby Kalvebod Fælled/Vestamager: 1000's of Barnacle Geese and a couple of WT Eagles were the highlights.
A fantastic piece of work, a superb guide to the marvellous diversity of diptera in these islands. And I'm very happy to have contributed a couple of photos: see my Colobaea bifasciella on p. 251. @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
A Ramshorn Bagworm grazing the plains of lichen on top of a grave stone; carrying its home/sleeping bag as it goes. Luffia lapidella (Psychidae) caterpillar. #lepidoptera
Common Wasp queen looking none too pleased at having to get up so early. 14C today so time to get moving. #hymenoptera
I found some Psyllid nymphs on Mistletoe (on an Apple tree) in our garden. I've kept an eye on them and today found the first adults. Almost certainly Cacopsylla visci which appears to be uncommon and possibly the first Devon record. It's not even the rarest insect found on our garden apple tree.
At least a dozen well-grown Scarlet Tiger caterpillars on a patch of roadside Comfrey from my morning walk. #lepidoptera
Bluebottles from Topsham Cemetery posing helpfully to show differences: Yellow jowls + dark beard = Calliphora vicina. Grey jowls + orange beard = Calliphora vomitoria. @dipteristsforum.bsky.social