Matt Berry

Field margin with wildflowers that can support butterflies in arable farmland

Livestock grazing is essential to maintaining grasslands in the mountains of Europe. Extensive cattle grazing has been shown to be the most beneficial but any extensive system is good

Grassland butterflies are declining across Europe, but how do we reverse that trend? We have just produced a report with some simple guidance to land managers and policy makers on how to 'Bend the curve' and help increase butterflies and other pollinators. www.bc-europe.eu/webpage.php?...

Picture postcards from our ongoing 'Cyprus in Spring' tour..

Endemic Crocus cyprius, carpets of Anemone coronaria, Oleander Hawkmoth, Holly Blue on endemic Arabis purpurea.

Good afternoon from Greece...

Ophrys cretica subsp. beloniae

#RhodesOrchidOdyssey

Good morning…

Large Wall Brown.

As well as seeing adult butterflies coming out of hibernation today (Peacock and Brimstone for me!), I also enjoyed finding several Marsh Fritillary larval webs, with larvae taking their first nibbles of Devil's-bit Scabious, & communally basking to raise their body temperature, which aids digestion

False Apollo

Southern Festoon

Scarce Swallowtail

Grecian Copper

With temperatures on the rise, I'm looking forward to a 'spring break' in Northern Greece with @greenwingstours.bsky.social (greenwings.co/our-holidays...). Some photos from last year, a trip that led to Martin Partridge's interesting article on the False Apollo: www.sbbt.org.uk/latest-news/....

Good evening from Greece…

Green Hairstreak on Rock Rose.

Ophrys argolica subsp. elegans

Hyla savignyi

Orchis anatolica subsp. troodi

female Paphos Blue on Glebionis coronaria

'Cyprus in Spring'

Global issues aside, the #orchids have been lovely on our tour, as has all the other diverse & beautiful flora & fauna.

Our groups very happy with all they’ve seen & done & just as importantly, with each other’s company as kindred spirits, enjoying a wildlife holiday together 🙏

Thank you 🙏

Thank you. They're Ophrys speculum (Mirror Orchid).

For #WorldWildlifeDay here's a few of my photos illustrating the kind of things I most enjoy taking pics of - butterflies, dragonflies, orchids.

Taking photos is just 1 of the many ways in which I connect & enjoy being part of nature.

I wish the world were wilder, and safer, for us all.

Thanks Anna, glad you like it :)

Good morning from Greece...

Ophrys lucis ( #orchid of light )

#RhodesOrchidOdyssey

Good morning from Greece...

Ophrys lucis ( #orchid of light )

#RhodesOrchidOdyssey

Peacock butterfly in hibernation, with spider lurking!

120 wings of dead Peacock butterflies on floor of bunker, presumably eaten by bats. Equates to 30 butterflies eaten!

A solitary Peacock left alive in the Purbeck bunkers. Out of 73 that went in. Not a very good survival rate! Culprits are bats (wing photo from last August) and spiders. Let’s hope they do better in other hibernation sites @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

Ophrys lucis / Ophrys argolica subsp. lucis

Rhodian Horseshoe #Orchid

Kalo mina / Καλό μήνα / Good month

#RhodesOrchidOdyssey

Thanks Auntie :)

Thanks a lot Helen :)

Another Ophrys tenthredinifera

#RhodesOrchidOdyssey #orchids

Ophrys tenthredinifera in 'Cherry Coke' colours...

2 places available to join me here too, on the one & only...

#RhodesOrchidOdyssey

greenwings.co/our-holidays...

A donation goes to @bsbibotany.bsky.social from this & all the @greenwingstours.bsky.social botany tours.

Busy busy, so here's a platter of local #orchid pics from #Rhodes

#RhodesOrchidOdyssey

Still time to grab a spot on this superb trip. It makes for a lovely way to begin your spring butterfly watching campaign...
greenwings.co/our-holidays...

A donation from this and *all* our butterfly tours also goes to support the conservation work of @europebutterfly.bsky.social too.

It’s official!

The 'Urban Flora of Newcastle and North Tyneside' will be published on Monday 9 March 🌿 📖

I’m hugely proud of this, and ever so grateful to @nenature.bsky.social and @bsbibotany.bsky.social for their support in making it happen. #botany #urbanflora

Ophrys sicula, full frame image.

Photographed close to home, Rhodes, Greece.

#RhodesOrchidOdyssey

997 followers.
Who will be number 1,000?

@savebutterflies.bsky.social

Ophrys sicula

A common #orchid but I try not to overlook it or anything else which may be abundant - for finding beauty is my main objective to see, and to try and capture an essence of in my photography.

#RhodesOrchidOdyssey