A male Brachyopa sp, probably either Brachyopa scutellaris or Brachyopa pilosa (Diptera: Syrphidae).

Photos taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2012-05-11.

A female Eudasyphora cyanella (Diptera: Muscidae).  I have just noticed that the females in this species tend to have blue abdomens.  The following photo, taken a month later, shows this more clearly:

In males the abdomen tends to have the same bronzy-green colour as the thorax.

Photos taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2012-04-13 and 2012-05-13, respectively.

A female Rhingia campestris (Diptera: Syrphidae).  Rhingia rostrata is similar but with no black markings along the side of the abdomen.

Photo taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2012-05-13.

A female Musca autumnalis (Diptera: Muscidae).  The males are quite different (see here and here).

A view from the front:

And from the side:

Musca domestica females are similar but have a much broader black band between the eyes on top of the head and the sides of the abdomen are pale orange.

Photos taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2012-05-11.

Leaf beetle Chrysolina polita (Diptera: Chrysomelidae).

Photos taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2012-05-08.

A common carpet moth, Epirrhoe alternata (Lepidoptera: Geometridae).

This is a darker one that I came across a few minutes earlier:

Photos taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2012-05-08.

A female Protocalliphora azurea (Diptera: Calliphoridae).  The males tend to be more bluish.

Photo taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 201

My first fly from the family Ulidiidae: Otites guttata (Diptera: Ulidiidae). Sometimes known as Otites guttatus.  Rather like a chunky Tephritid fly.  This seems to be the only Otites sp that is found in the UK.  Identification confirmed by Paul Buek here.

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2012-05-06.

Slime mould Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa growing on decaying wood.  This is the filamentous form; there is also a poroid form which looks like like a sponge.

Photo taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2012-05-06.

A female Gastrophysa viridula (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) laying eggs on a dock leaf (Rumex sp).  See here for some photos of the larvae that will hatch out from the eggs.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2012-05-06.