Charlie Forrest-King
LightNews LightNews
banner
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
Charlie Forrest-King
@c-forrest-king.bsky.social
96 followers 150 following 68 posts
🌿 Nature enthusiast | Transforming my garden into a wildlife haven 🐝 | Amateur photographer | Love baking | Crafts including crochet, needle and wet felting, watercolour | Nature reserves officer - The Wildlife Trust 🦡 | All views my own 🌿
Posts Replies Media Videos
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
Still working through a few images from this year. Possible Cerceris rybyensis, 07/08/26. & Common Spiny Digger Wasp? (Oxybelus uniglumis), 10/06/26.
Gentleshaw Common, Staffordshire

@lisawilliams30.bsky.social
#invertebrates #wasps
September 6, 2026 at 9:31 PM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
Another new one for the garden earlier this month.
A female Xanthogramma pedissequum (Superb Ant-hill Hoverfly).
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire UK
16/08/2026
@dipteristsforum.bsky.social
@lisawilliams30.bsky.social
August 29, 2026 at 8:28 AM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
Beautiful Oak Bush-cricket (Meconema thalassinum) from today.
- RSPB Middleton lakes
- 15/08/26

@lisawilliams30.bsky.social :)
August 15, 2026 at 5:24 PM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
Is this possibly Brachycarenus tigrinus? It has few records from what I can see so it may be something else
Sorry bad photo, it flew out of the window quickly
- Staffordshire UK
- 14/08/26

@bugmanjones.bsky.social @britishbugs.bsky.social @lisawilliams30.bsky.social
@rockwolf74.bsky.social
August 14, 2026 at 11:46 AM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
Could this be Cerceris rybyensis? Spotted at Gentleshaw Common
-Staffordshire
- 07/08/26

@lisawilliams30.bsky.social
#solitarywasp
August 7, 2026 at 7:08 AM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
The common knapweed in our gardens mini meadow is stunning this year! So many bumblebees, hoverflies, moths, beetles etc.

@staffswildlife.bsky.social @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social #plantforwildlife #wildspaces
July 26, 2026 at 3:47 PM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
First record of this beautiful female Wasp Plumehorn (Volucella inanis) in the garden today. Found on common knapweed, and then resting on the little native hedge we planted a few years ago. Such a beauty!

@dipteristsforum.bsky.social @hoverflyspotter.bsky.social
@lisawilliams30.bsky.social
July 26, 2026 at 2:38 PM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
The mini meadow has a lot of variety again this year, and finally the yellow rattle is growing in more spots.

I have also mown a path through it, so I can enjoy it more :)

#plantnativewildflowers #leavewildpatches #gardenforwildlife
July 17, 2026 at 8:44 PM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
What a weekend for wildlife in the garden, and a good week for new clearwings! Another lifer, and in the garden! Orange-tailed Clearwing (Synanthedon andrenaeformis)
- Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
- 21/06/26
- On irecord

@lesevanshill.bsky.social
@savebutterflies.bsky.social
June 21, 2026 at 11:41 AM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
The BEST day! A beautiful male Rhinoceros Beetle (Sinodendron cylindricum) just landed on me!! A lifer for me, & has been on my 'want to see' list for a while!
-Stoke-on-Trent garden
- 20/06/26

@colsocbi.bsky.social @wild-dave.bsky.social
@lisawilliams30.bsky.social
@staffswildlife.bsky.social
June 20, 2026 at 4:58 PM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
Very excited to see my first beautiful Red-tipped Clearwing (Synanthedon formicaeformis)
Came to lure whilst carrying out a survey.
- Staffordshire
- 17/06/2026
I have put it on irecord

@lesevanshill.bsky.social @staffswildlife.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social #clearwingmoth
June 19, 2026 at 8:29 PM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
A very fuzzy Scathophaga stercoraria with its prey in the garden. Amazing the size of prey they catch!

-Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent
-30/05/2026
June 11, 2026 at 6:45 PM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
Possible female Hylaeus species. Difficult to separate it seems.
Beautiful little bee to have in my garden though. Very pleased! Really liked the raspberry flowers
- Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire uk - 23/05/2026

#solitarybees #gardenwildlife
@lisawilliams30.bsky.social
May 23, 2026 at 6:14 PM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
A possible Pea Stilt-leg (Micropeza corrigiolata)?

Found on the broad beans, in a veg bed with peas growing too.
- My Stoke-on-Trent garden, Staffordshire- 18/05/26

@dipteristsforum.bsky.social @lisawilliams30.bsky.social
May 18, 2026 at 7:40 PM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
Spotted this beautiful Striped Oak bug nymph (Rhabdomiris striatellus) this week.
- Gentleshaw Common, Staffordshire, 08/05/2026
May 10, 2026 at 8:46 AM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
A large amount of male and female Parent bugs (Elasmucha grisea) across a birch tree.
- Gentleshaw Common, Staffordshire, 08/05/2026

@staffswildlife.bsky.social
@britishbugs.bsky.social #Shieldbugs
May 10, 2026 at 8:17 AM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
Thinking Nomada lathburiana? There was also the host, Andrena cineraria, in the area.
- Gentleshaw Common, Staffordshire, 08/05/2026

@lisawilliams30.bsky.social @staffswildlife.bsky.social
#solitarybees
May 9, 2026 at 9:27 AM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
Could this be a female Crysotoxum arcuatum? Globular in shape and third antennae segment longer.
-Gentleshaw Common, Staffordshire, 08/05/2026

@dipteristsforum.bsky.social @lisawilliams30.bsky.social #hoverflies
May 8, 2026 at 8:25 PM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
First record of Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) in the garden this week!
- Staffordshire, 30/04/26

@savebutterflies.bsky.social
May 1, 2026 at 3:56 PM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
Came across this stunning Rosy woodlouse (Androniscus dentiger) in the garden. First record of them for the garden, and for me.
- Staffordshire, 25/04/2026
April 27, 2026 at 6:44 AM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
Exciting day today in the garden. Found this beautiful female Ashy mining bee (Andrena cineraria) resting on a rock near some sandy bare ground in the mini meadow.
- Staffordshire, 19/04/2026

@lisawilliams30.bsky.social
April 19, 2026 at 4:40 PM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
My first Pied Shieldbugs (Tritomegas bicolor). Lovely treat to find! Found on White dead-nettle.
15/04/2025 - Staffordshire

#shieldbugs
April 15, 2026 at 9:03 PM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
Lichens I found growing on standing deadwood, moorland, Staffordshire.
Can anyone help with some ID please if possible?
A few thoughts below but I'm no expert - Cladonia species
1.macilenta/floerkeana? 2.digitata? 4.Maybe pyxidata/similar?
@britishlichensociety.org.uk @rayrambling.bsky.social
March 10, 2026 at 5:31 PM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
A warmer day today and feeling more like spring. Spotted a few Andrena bicolor males today, 04/03/2026. Staffordshire, Gentleshaw Common. #solitarybees #springishere @lisawilliams30.bsky.social Thanks for checking my ID 😁
March 4, 2026 at 8:03 PM
c-forrest-king.bsky.social
Found wandering across my garden just before we lost the light. I suspect a Rove beetle, possibly Quedius species?
Are the photos enough to be able to identify at all? Any help appreciated.
24/02/2026, Staffordshire

@wild-dave.bsky.social #gardenwildlife
February 24, 2026 at 7:53 PM