Ichneumon Wasp

A black and yellow ichneumon wasp (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae).  I don't know the species.

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2010-09-21.

Moth Caterpillar

A caterpillar of the moth Depressaria daucella (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae).  Over the past couple of summers these distinctive caterpillars have been quite common on the water dropwort (Oenanthe sp) around the large lake.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2010-06-02.

Magpies versus Red Kite

Yesterday morning I saw, high over Eastern Avenue, a red kite being mobbed by a magpie.  The kite was dangling something from its claws: the body of a squirrel, probably road-kill.  The magpie repeatedly approached the kite from behind, cawing loudly, but each time swerving off before making contact.  Eventually the kite let go of the squirrel which dropped down to the roof of the new Red Cross building.  The kite turned towards the north and slowly flew off.  The magpie followed the squirrel down and was joined on the roof ridge by three other magpies that appeared from over a neighbouring building (from where they must have been watching the mobbing from a safe distance).  They all stood there, a few metres from the squirrel, and looked around, as if checking the coast was clear, before, one by one, they hopped down the roof slope to where the squirrel's body lay.

Bleeding Crust Fungus

From a few days ago: a bleeding crust fungus, either the bleeding oak crust fungus Stereum gausapatum or the bleeding broadleaf crust fungus, Stereum rugosum.  As it was growing on an oak log, I suspect the former, but my inexperience means that I cannot exclude the latter.

The following is a photo of what I presume is the same species from back in January:

This specimen wasn't bleeding.

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2010-12-12 and 2010-01-28, respectively.

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Stagshorn Fungus

A stagshorn fungus, probably pale stagshorn (Calocera pallidospathulata).

Photo taken in Barnard Castle, County Durham, UK, on 2010-08-07.