Hoverflies

From a year ago: a pair of Helophilus pendulus (Diptera: Syrphidae) mating.

Photos taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2013-06-01.

Hawthorn Leaf Galls

A leaf of a hawthorn bush (Crataegus sp) that has been badly discolored and distorted by galls.

Turning the leaf over revealed the galls to be full of black aphids which were being tended by an ant:

I think it probable that the aphids actually caused the galls, and that they were not just taking shelter in pre-existing galls.  My main reason for thinking this is that I could find no other galled leaves nor any aphids on the rest of the bush nor on any of the neighboring ones.

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2014-05-05.

Another Hoverfly

A male Parhelophilus frutetorum (Diptera: Syrphidae).  Identified using the key of Stubbs and Falk (in British Hoverflies, 2002).

The pattern of wing veins:

The hind femurs of males bear a small 'shaving brush' projection bearing black hairs:

Specimen taken in the field below Chazey Wood on 2014-05-25.

Hoverfly

A female Chalcosyrphus nemorum (Diptera: Syrphidae).  Identified using the key of Stubbs and Falk (in British Hoverflies, 2002).

A close-up of the head:

The abdomen has pairs faintish spots on tergites 2, 3, and 4:

The hind femurs are widest about 2/3 of the way from the base:

Specimen taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2014-05-25.

Dragonfly

A male club-tailed dragonfly, Gomphus vulgatissimus (Odonata: Gomphidae).

Photo taken in Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2014-05-25.