Isn’t nature a wonderful architect…
Posting this butterfly, a post from Ukraine, by Patrick, because it has not received any comments other than my own that I will try and alert a lepidopteran ispotter to have a look.
Some great ones here - thanks all.
I love this - but am also frustrated and surprised by it!
Devonian’s superb photo captures a majestic fruiting right in it’s prime. There’s an almost military uniformity here, barely a flagging mushroom anywhere letting the parade down.
On the face of it, this beautiful fungus seems to be a very distinctive and recognisable species; what with those off-the-beaten-track plum tones to it’s shiny button cap, ‘memory of jaded blewit’ gills and contrasting stem zoning.
Hard to understand then, why no-one has offered so much as a comment? A rarity? Atypical specimens? A very variable species?
It would be such a shame i think, for this obs - and others like it - to fall off the wagon and be lost. The photo alone deserves to be seen.
Best wishes
Ben
Excellent description, photos and a video of Flies appearing to attack native Honeybees.
Purple emperor in London garden
Spare a thought for Gaby
She has been loyally posting in Southern Africa since 2012 and has nearly 1500 Gorgeous observations. She does not get enough praise. Worse, the SANBI dictionary, from which she works is sadly behind the times (MUCH worse than the UK dictionary); this means she has dozens of ‘invalid’ IDs in Black Panels. Her work with Fungi is remarkable.
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Gaby’s Project https://www.ispotnature.org/communities/southern-africa/view/project/805924/gaby39s-fungi-collection
EDITED and reworded 19 July
Dictionary luck, nice observing and this picture!
Hope someone can resolve this intriguing one.
New user with five slime mould observations, including this one, in need of support.
The Slime Moulds are worth a look as is this observation of an Ant.
Another from Paul Collingridge
and https://www.ispotnature.org/communities/uk-and-ireland/view/observation/799415/gall-wasp-chalcid
Actually his (infrequent) observing is worth checking via his Activity Tracker
https://www.ispotnature.org/view/user/5631/activity-tracker
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Not a favourite.
But an example of when iSpot can be really disappointing:
I proposed an ID, which was disputed. The beetle is so distinctive that I expected someone would quickly recognise and correct it.
Instead, it has languished unresolved; and, being more than a few days old, is presumably now sinking into the swamp. To me, this is the least satisfactory of all possible outcomes: I don’t mind being wrong, but really do like to have “closure” - even if it is a wiser head explaining why no accurate ID is possible.
I agree, it is disappointing when a confident ID doesn’t come along in time and the observation which meant much to you risks dropping from view unresolved. I’m not a coleopterist but I am curious about beetles and keep some reference websites bookmarked and to hand. If you don’t like my suggested ID (just made), maybe you can see a better fit from those featured on the German website I included a link for in a comment under the observation. I think that’s a great website - the page on the British equivalent https://www.coleoptera.org.uk/family/cerambycidae isn’t so handy.
It’s not always about a definitive ID…
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yes, specially lovely. Thanks both.
This from a new iSpotter:
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Superb comment trail.
Chiffchaff/ or Willow Warbler? -Sarah started the debate…
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…continued in Thistle’s observation…
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Weekend favourite. Great fish observation with clear photos and a good description. Few people are posting Fish on iSpot so good to see one from a new iSpotter.
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A real treat of photo-recording
Some years ago I came across a phrase I have been unable to assign (it was wrongly - probably - attributed to Darwin): “Nature will tell you a direct lie if she can.”
Here’s a good example (and a great post) - I think I was completely fooled, but would love one of the good entomologists to dive in…