Tuesday
Jul262011

Moorhen

A common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus.

And a side view showing the green feet (chloropus) more clearly:

Photos taken beside the large lake, Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2011-07-23.

Monday
Jul252011

Hoverflies

A pair of hoverflies mating: species Sphaerophoria scripta (Diptera: Syrphidae), recognizable because the male's abdomen is clearly longer than its folded-back wings.  The male is the larger one.

Photos taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2011-07-22.

Sunday
Jul242011

Tortoise Bugs

From last year: a tortoise bug, Eurygaster testudinaria (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae).

Also from last year: what I think is an early-stage nymph of the same species:

See here for photos of a late-stage nymph from a couple of years ago.

Photos taken Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2010-05-26 and 2010-06-19, respectively.

Saturday
Jul232011

Hoverflies

Hoverfly Volucella zonaria (Diptera: Syrphidae), a male from the side. And from above:

Note that the yellow bands are much darker towards the front of the abdomen.

A few seconds later the following similar hoverfly landed on a neighboring thistle flower head:

This a a male Volucella inanis (also Diptera: Syrphidae).  Here the yellow bands on the abdomen are all evenly yellow.

Photos taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2011-07-22.

Friday
Jul222011

Treehopper

A treehopper with horns: Centrotus cornutus (Hemiptera: Membracidae).

Photos taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2011-06-14.