Hoverfly
A male Brachyopa sp, probably either Brachyopa scutellaris or Brachyopa pilosa (Diptera: Syrphidae).
Photos taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2012-05-11.
A male Brachyopa sp, probably either Brachyopa scutellaris or Brachyopa pilosa (Diptera: Syrphidae).
Photos taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2012-05-11.
A female Eudasyphora cyanella (Diptera: Muscidae). I have just noticed that the females in this species tend to have blue abdomens. The following photo, taken a month later, shows this more clearly:
In males the abdomen tends to have the same bronzy-green colour as the thorax.
Photos taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2012-04-13 and 2012-05-13, respectively.
A female Rhingia campestris (Diptera: Syrphidae). Rhingia rostrata is similar but with no black markings along the side of the abdomen.
Photo taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2012-05-13.
A female Musca autumnalis (Diptera: Muscidae). The males are quite different (see here and here).
A view from the front:
And from the side:
Musca domestica females are similar but have a much broader black band between the eyes on top of the head and the sides of the abdomen are pale orange.
Photos taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2012-05-11.
Leaf beetle Chrysolina polita (Diptera: Chrysomelidae).
Photos taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2012-05-08.