Hornet

A European hornet, Vespa crabro (Hymenoptera: Vespidae).

Taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK on 2021-08-24.

Tachinid Fly

A male Opesia cana (Diptera: Tachinidae).  Fairly uncommon in the UK.  This is my first.

Identified using the key of Belshaw, 1993 updated by Raper and Smith, 2014.

Specimen taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK on 2021-06-09.

Dufouria chalybeata

Dufouria chalybeata (Diptera: Tachinidae) is a small shiny-black Tachinid flies that parisitises the larvae of Cassida sp beetles. See here for photos I took of one attacking its host back in 2011.

Belshaw, 1993 gives for them: "Flight period: early June to early July (at least 50 records). 1 generation per year".

The above diagram shows the relative number of specimens I have collected each month since 2014. The flight period has quite clearly moved forward a month  and a second generation has appeared in October and November.

Moth

A box-tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) which I found early this morning on the front door to our block of flats. This species was first detected in this country as recently as 2008.

Photo taken in Reading, UK on 2020-09-21.

Ichneumonid Wasp with Eggs

A female Ichneumonid wasp (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae).

The ovipositor has 6 white eggs attached:

Having eggs stuck to the ovipositor like this is a characteristic of some Tryphoninae.  Most Tryphoninae are parasites of sawfly larvae.

Specimen taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK on 2020-08-07.