Thu 2009-06-11 
A young mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) and its mother. Initially I assumed that these were wood ducks (Aix sponsa) but I now see that the mother has the 'mandarin whiskers' on its cheeks, and the white line at the base of the beak does not continue over the top, as it tends to in female wood ducks.
Photo taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-06-11.
Wed 2009-06-10 
[Note added 2009-06-27: I have now tentatively identified this as Coenosia humilis (family Muscidae, order Diptera), based on comparison with photos here, here, here and here. Articles here and here (pdf) mention the use of this predatory species to control pests in greenhouses.]
A dipteran fly, I have no idea of its species, genus, or even family. It was in long grass.
Photos taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-06-10.
Tue 2009-06-09 
On a walk round the lakes this evening, Zoe spotted these on some stinging nettles (Urtica dioica). She guessed that they probably were the caterpillars of some colourful butterfly, and she was right: they are caterpillars of the peacock butterfly (Inachis io).
There were also some smaller ones of the same species on a nettle plant a bit further on:
And, on another nettle plant, there were even smaller ones enmeshed in what I presume was a protective web:
Photos taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-06-09.
Tristram Brelstaff
This species, Inachis io, is also known by the synomyn Nymphalis io. For a photo of an adult peacock butterfly see here.
Tue 2009-06-09 
A white crab spider, probably a female Misumena vatia. These spiders hide on flowers (here an ox-eye daisy, Leucanthemum vulgare) in order to ambush visiting insects. The females can be yellow or white, depending on the colour of the flower they are on. The males are smaller and darker.
Photo taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-05-31.
Mon 2009-06-08 
A straw dot moth, Rivula sericealis (order Lepidoptera, family Noctuidae).
Photo taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-06-04.
