Derek Binns

Let's share the washing up ... I'll do the saucepans, you can do the gravy boats!
Character is one thing, but this is ridiculous!

A tiny circular yellow-green plant growing out of a grey rocky medium. The plant has a dotted colouration, and an oval hole in the middle through which a new pair of leaves is visible.

A tiny circular yellow-green plant growing out of a grey rocky medium. The plant has a dotted colouration, and an oval hole in the middle through which a new pair of leaves is visible.

Sown two years ago on the 8th March 2024, Lithops lesliei f. albinica is now 10 mm across and forming a new pair of leaves. #Lithops

Endless fascination in a world of wonder. There is so much that we have no idea about until we look down a microscope.

They make a good couple. Each needs the other to balance out their oddity. There was a risk that each was being reduced to a cliché when they were single, but they have become more than the sum of their parts as a couple.
#TheArchers

Looking forward to it. Should be quite something.

Surely the Aldridge's have been quietly imploding for decades? Brian's serial shenanigans, Adam's emigration, Debbie's emigration, Kate's emigration to Planet Kate, Alice's need for anaesthetic, Ruairi's feelings for Julia. This all points to a family that runs away from a problem.
#TheArchers

Many happy belated returns!

As John Cooper Clarke reciting Beasley Street?

A small bee is sunning itself on a strap-like green leaf. The bee is facing upwards and to the right of the picture. It has a collar of yellow hairs on its brown thorax, and it has a striped brown abdomen.

The glorious sunshine has brought forth Yellow-legged mining bees (Andrena flavipes) around the hyacinths in the garden.
#Bees

Does this mean Evgeny Lebedev will soon be moving to Ambridge?
(niche, but some will get it)
#TheArchers

photograph of a small tan dog sitting on a large black gorilla

Post a pic you took, no context, to bring some zen to the feed.

An oval succulent plant. It has two leaves that form the oval. The leaf-pair is splitting horizontally to reveal an emerging new leaf-pair that will take over. The surface of the leaf-pair is covered in bright red dots. The plant is seen growing out of a grey stone chip medium.

One year on from sowing, a Lithops julli cv Kikushogyoku is now 8mm long and looking good.
#Lithops

Windowsill of an unheated room? If the windowsill has bright light then it matters less that they are warm.

They look fine. Most of mine have looked just like this at this stage. Trust them, they know what they're doing!
#Lithops

We don't know if Dane thinks at all.
#TheArchers

I doff my cap to you sir!

A bright yellow Ladybird with black spots. It is seen on a pale green leaf. The ladybird is facing the camera.

A beautiful 22-spot Ladybird seen in the garden yesterday.

#Coccinellidae

Yes, but Susan has form when it comes to taking against someone.
#TheArchers

She's Susan ... what more reason do you need?
#TheArchers

Hmmm ... parasitoids are letting you down, they need to up their game!

Sounds like you've got a potential host plant to search!

I find them on a bay tree in the garden, also on several trees in the woods. Parasitised ones look distinctive

Side view of a black-and-white striped jumping spider sitting on a brick. Its head end is to the left.

Second day of glorious sunshine, and the Jumping Spiders are romping about on the south-facing brick wall of the house. The contrast from two days ago is vast!

#Salticidae

Good find! Next step is to find their hosts: Soft Scale is the usual host for Microterys in my neck of the woods. Easy to identify Scales that have been parasitised. Then you can rear out the wasp from the host and get certainty of the relationship.

... Wednesday

I'd plump for M.hortulanus!

I think so ... trying to remember what M.tessellatus looks like.

Looks good. Cracking shot as well!

Frontovertex less than 1.5x as wide as scape width and more than 4x diameter of ocellus, ovipositor hardly exserted is the specific for M.hortulanus.

Ideally you need a lateral view of the antennae to be sure. M.tricoloricornis is white all round on F4-6, whereas M.seyon is white on top of F4-6 and a bit shady underneath.