Small Yellow Underwing Moth

A small yellow underwing moth, Panemeria tenebrata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2010-05-21.

Black Hoverfly

A male hoverfly, probably a Cheilosia sp (Diptera: Syrphidae), but that genus has several species that look like this, so I won't try to take the classification any further.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2010-05-17.

Small Moths

I came across several of these tiny moths dancing around an oak leaf.  They seemed to be competing with each other to occupy the high points at the edge of the leaf.  They are probably Micropterix aruncella (Lepidoptera: Micropterigidae).

The colour or these small, metallic-winged moths seems to depend upon the level and angle of lighting, which is why I have included three photos here.

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, Uk, on 2010-05-21.

Sawfly

A small orange sawfly, Athalia rosae (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), also known as the turnip sawfly.  A few days later I came across a swarm of about a dozen of these swarming in the long grass near some bushes.  The black shoulder pads seem to mark out this species from other similar ones.

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2010-05-15

Tortrix Moth

A small moth, probably Pammene argyrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae).  There seem to be several other similar Pammene species, but this seems to be the only one that flies in early May in the UK.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2010-05-05.