Sunday
Sep162012

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.

Saturday
Sep152012

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.

Friday
Sep142012

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.

Thursday
Sep132012

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.

Wednesday
Sep122012

Big-Nosed Hoverfly

Hoverfly Rhingia campestris (Diptera: Syrphidae). This photo clearly shows the black line along the lateral margin of the abdomen that distinguishes this species from Rhingia rostrata.

Photo taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2012-09-09.