Bluebottle Flies

A male bluebottle fly of species Calliphora vomitoria (Diptera: Calliphoridae).  Note that the yellow 'beard' actual extends all the way round the neck and so would be better termed the yellow 'ruff'.

For comparison here is a male Calliphora vicina.  Note the lack of the yellow beard, the slightly reddish face (as if it had been applying rouge), and the yellowish spiracle on the side of the thorax just behind the eyes.

Photos taken in Whiteknight Park, Reading, UK, on 2012-08-31 and 2012-06-04 respectively.

Clusiid Fly

A small orange fly which appeared to be laying eggs on a decaying log.  Probably a female Clusia flava (Diptera: Clusiidae).

Photo taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2012-08-15.

I trapped this fly in a plastic tub, took it home, and took the following photo of it before releasing it.

Photo taken in Reading, UK, on 2012-09-15.

Butterflies

A small copper butterfly, Lycaena phlaeas (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) feeding on a thistle (Cirsium sp).

The following image, taken 10 days earlier, shows that the hind wings are mostly dark, at least on their upper surface:

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, 2012-08-18 and 2012-08-08, respectively.

Dragonfly

A female black-tailed skimmer dragonfly, Orthetrum cancellatum (Odonata: Libellulidae).  The abdomen did appear to be permanently bent.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2012-08-04.

Moth

From 7 years ago: a brimstone moth, Opisthograptis luteolata (Lepidoptera: Geometridae).  Somewhat blurry because it was taken with my old camera, indoors, at night time.

Photo taken in Reading, UK, on 2005-08-23.