I’ve been involved in natural history across Britain and Ireland for most of my life, both in the field and within the recording community.

(Steve J. McWilliam) Full Name -Stephen James McWilliam - oft known by the nick-name of SteveMcBill, name on iNat - steve_mcwilliam - Biological Recording - An entomology based recorder with increasing interest in general natural history recording though mainly of invertebrates (Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Diplopoda, Myriapoda, Chilopoda, Isopoda, Neuroptera, Trichoptera, Hymenoptera (inc. Parasitica), Collembola) but also including vascular plants, bryophytes, mammals, birds, molluscs, micro-fungi, etc.

About Me:

I’m a long‑time naturalist based in Britain, with interests ranging from plants, bryophytes, and lichens to insects, moths, sawflies, and many of the smaller creatures that reward close attention. Most of my fieldwork is shared with my partner Susan Marley (susan_marley on iNat), exploring the wildlife of Britain, Ireland, and the surrounding islands in all seasons.

My working life has taken a few interesting turns. After many years in the Department of Employment’s Computer Division, I took voluntary redundancy in 1995 to focus fully on ecological work, setting up my own consultancy, Consult‑Eco. I ran that until 2000, when I became the first manager of rECOrd — Cheshire’s Local Environmental Records Centre — after helping secure its start‑up funding and guiding its early development.

Over the years I’ve also served as Hon. Secretary and later President of the Lancashire & Cheshire Entomological Society, and I continue to act as one of its Vice‑Presidents. I’ve been President of the North‑West Naturalists’ Union and President of The Underwings, an entomological society for young naturalists. I have also been County Recorder for Cheshire for both moths and Symphyta.

On iNaturalist I contribute identifications across a wide range of taxa and maintain several UK+ projects, including the Natural History of Britain & Ireland Taxonomic Index. I’m always happy to help new users learn and to support anyone with an interest in our region’s biodiversity.

These days my main focus is supporting UK iNaturalist users, contributing identifications, and maintaining the UK+ taxon projects and the Natural History of Britain & Ireland - Taxonomic Index, and the Geographic Framework, alongside Vice Counties, Churchyards and Burial Grounds, and more local umbrellas such as Sites Near to Liverpool and Sites Near to Cheshire.

My local LERC's (Local Environmental Record Centres) are:

Merseyside BioBank - covering the Liverpool area (Merseyside):
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/merseyside-biobank
and
Cheshire rECOrd - the Cheshire Local Record Centre:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/record-cheshire-lerc-uk

My own website can be found at:

iNaturalist Projects Managed by Steve McWilliam:

2018 - https://www.inaturalist.org/stats/2018/steve_mcwilliam
2019 - https://www.inaturalist.org/stats/2019/steve_mcwilliam
2020 - https://www.inaturalist.org/stats/2020/steve_mcwilliam
2021 - https://www.inaturalist.org/stats/2021/steve_mcwilliam
2022 - https://www.inaturalist.org/stats/2022/steve_mcwilliam
2023 - https://www.inaturalist.org/stats/2023/steve_mcwilliam
2024 - https://www.inaturalist.org/stats/2024/steve_mcwilliam
2025 - https://www.inaturalist.org/stats/2025/steve_mcwilliam
2026 - https://www.inaturalist.org/stats/2026/steve_mcwilliam

My Favourite Observations:

My observations, ranked by how many people have favourited them: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?user_id=steve_mcwilliam&order_by=votes
Observations that I personally have favourited: https://www.inaturalist.org/faves/steve_mcwilliam

HeatMap:

Heatmap of Steve McWilliam's Records: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/map?user_id=steve_mcwilliam#6/54.838/-2.845

Comments:

These days my main focus is supporting UK iNaturalist users, contributing identifications, and maintaining the UK+ taxon projects and the Natural History of Britain & Ireland Taxonomic Index.

I’m always happy to help with identifications, especially for plants, bryophytes, fungi, and invertebrates, though there are no guarantees that I will be able to provide what you require.. If you’re working on UK+ biodiversity data or Vice-county mapping, feel free to get in touch.

Feel free to use my photographs as long as you don't make money out of them. It would be nice if you message me just so I know how my photos can be helpful to people! For business inquiries you can contact me by private message here or on my social media.

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