White Plume Moth

A white plume moth, Pterophorus pentadactyla (family Pterophoroidea, order Lepidoptera).  With their mis-shapen wings and large spikes on their legs, plume moths seem like they ought to be from another world.  I came across this specimen while turning leaves, chasing a bug I wanted to photograph.  See here for another species of plume moth that I came across a couple of weeks ago.

Photo taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-07-03.

Birds-Foot Trefoil

Birds-foot trefoil, Lotus corniculatus. The hairs did make me think it might be hairy birds-foot trefoil (Lotus hispidus = Lotus subbiflorus) but that species is smaller and tends to be found on the coast.

Photo taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-07-02.

Common Red Soldier Beetle

A common red soldier beetle, Rhagonycha fulva (family Cantharidae, order Coleoptera).

Photo taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-07-01.

Field Pansy

A field pansy (Viola arvensis) growing on recently (past 6 months) disturbed ground.  According to W. Kebel Martin (The Concise British Flora in Colour, Ebury Press, 1965) this species is distinguished from the similar Viola tricolor by the fact that its sepals are longer than its petals.  In North America the term 'field pansy is also used to refer to a third species, Viola bicolor.

Photo taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on

Ichneumon Wasp

Another ichneumon wasp.  I have no idea of the species nor genus.  Out on the web, I was only able to find one image of anything similar (here), and there the front and middle femurs are much darker than on the above specimen.  However, these little red-bodies ichneumons seem to fairly common in the long grass, this year at least (I can't speak for previous years).  They seem very restless, flying this way and that, between the grass talks, pausing only occasionally, for no more than a few seconds at a time: frustratingly difficult to photograph.

Photo taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-06-16.