Gail Ashton

Thank you so much - enjoy! ☺️

The graphic includes gray text on a blue background that reads, “ESA Webinar.” Below that, there is white text that reads, “International Association of Black Entomologists (IABE) Voices: Reputability, Research, and Resilience. Friday, February 27. 12 p.m. ET.” There is also an image of a yellow butterfly and the ESA logo.

Join us February 27 for a webinar in honor of #BlackHistoryMonth, hosted by the International Association of Black Entomologists. Panelists will share their research programs, professional accomplishments & testimonies of resilience. Register today: www.entsoc.org/events/webin...

The cover of The new ‘Photographic guide to flies of Britain and Ireland’

An open page from the new ‘Photographic guide to flies of Britain and Ireland’. Text for each species on the left with beautiful macro photos on the right.

Oh hello… it’s here! The new ‘Photographic guide to flies of Britain and Ireland’.

Steven Falk (not sure if he’s on BS?)
@gailashton.bsky.social
@rdimond.bsky.social
Peter Creed
Forward by @flygirlnhm.bsky.social

It is an astonishing piece of work for such a diverse taxonomic group.
#diptera

THE WAIT IS OVER - We're busy mailing out copies of our new guide to #FliesofBritainandIreland to all those who pre-ordered. Order your copy here bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @rdimond.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

It’s here! The wait is over! Thank you for your patience to all of you who pre-ordered ☺️

Oh wow! It’s 3D!!

A Lesser Celandine flower in spring undergrowth.

The first Lesser Celandine of my year, navigating its way through the undergrowth, seen in Beds today.
#wildflowerhour
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Thanks, look forward to hearing from you 😊

Hi Laurence, I’m working on a project about alder - please can you point me to this piece that you have written? It sounds very interesting!

Ben Lawers, Perthshire, 8th of 9 great places to see an amazing range of flies featured in our guide to #FliesofBritainandIreland due mid-Feb 2026. Hurry, pre-pub offer runs til 31 Jan bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @rdimond.bsky.social
@flygirlnhm.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social

THE WAIT IS NEARLY OVER: Just signed off the printer's proofs for our new guide to #FliesofBritainandIreland - due mid-Feb 2026. Pre-pub offer runs until 31 Jan - order your copy now bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @rdimond.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social

Our new 416pp #FliesofBritainandIreland covering over 1300 species & with over 1500 photos is now being printed - due mid Feb 2026. You can still pre-order until 31 Jan bit.ly/4dqQI8Z
@flygirlnhm.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social
@dipteristsforum.bsky.social @georgemcgavin.bsky.social

First & last flies featured in #FliesofBritainandIreland – Wasp-banded Comb-horn Ctenophora flaveolata & Deer Warble Fly Hypoderma diana. Nearing completion due late Jan/early Feb 2026. Pre-order now bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social

Close up of a Common Alder leaf which is losing its chlorophyll and starting to decay.

Close up of a Common Alder leaf which is losing its chlorophyll and starting to decay. It has a hole in it where it has been eaten by an insect.

Close up of a Common Alder leaf which is losing its chlorophyll and starting to decay.

Close up of a Common Alder leaf which is losing its chlorophyll and starting to decay.

New work from my Master’s research project, ‘The Alder’.

The Common Alder is home to a huge number of invertebrate species, including beetles, sawflies, leaf miners and at least 50 moths. Some of these species can be seen in the feeding signs on leaves.

#CommonAlder
#tree
#ecologies

www.zobodat.at/pdf/DENISIA_...

Wonderful! It is a fascinating bug - I’ve been enjoying watching late summer broods on my local alder ☺️

I recently found research that suggests that birch is preferred for first broods and alder for second broods, and wondered if that was something you’ve observed, Maria?

A female Wasp Spider (Argiope bruennechi) in her web in long grass.

Saw this queen toda 💛🤍🖤

Wasp Spider (Argiope bruennechi)
#HertsSpiders

Sunset over a farming field that has an irrigation system watering it. The sun is a low, bright red circle.

It’s one of those evenings when you feel like you’ve accidentally walked onto a film set.
#sunset

We're now laying out the Tachinids for #FliesofBritainandIreland bit.ly/4dqQI8Z to be published this Autumn TOP Cistogaster globosa & Gymnocheta viridis; BOTTOM Phasia hemiptera & Tachina grossa @gailashton.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @georgemcgavin.bsky.social

The home run!! 😃

On the home run now for our #FliesofBritainandIreland book bit.ly/4dqQI8Z – Steven Falkhas now completed the text for the Anthomyiidae & we've started laying out the intro pages
@flygirlnhm.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social

Summer evenings don’t get much better than watching a Barn Owl hunting at sunset
💚💚💚

Evening view across a meadow in southern England

Summer 💙💚💛

Off to the Gower next week & hope to see the magnificent Pied-winged Robberfly (Pamponerus germanicus) at Whiteford Burrows. All of Britain's robberflies are covered in our #FliesofBritainandIreland bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @gailashton.bsky.social @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social

Hi Rebecca! I love OM System (forrmerly Olympus). It’s small and lightweight, and takes great butterfly and moth photos with or without external flash. The 60mm macro lens is great - it lets you get close up, or further back for habitat shots too. 🦋

Sun dogs! What a fab name!

Ooh I’ll Google that, thanks!

A spectral phenomenon on the edge of a small cloud

I don’t know what this type of cloud is called, but it’s a cracker.

Lesser Bulb Fly (Eumerus funeralis) a small hoverfly is common in our garden & develops in Spanish Bluebells, also seen on its leaves was the Large Narcissus Fly a bumblebee mimic #FliesofBritainandIreland bit.ly/4dqQI8Z
@bbowt.bsky.social @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social
@gailashton.bsky.social