Red Clover

From back in later spring: red clover (Trifolium sp).

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-05-16.

Fleabane

From a few months back, fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica).  The leaves look like this:

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-08-12.

Hoverfly on Sneezewort

A female Sphaerophoria sp (Diptera: Syrphidae) feeding on sneezewort (Achillea ptarmica).

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-08-16.

Blackberries

Blackberries, Rubus sp.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-10-09.

Figwort Weevils

The day before yesterday I noticed two small dark lumps on a stinging nettle (Urtica dioica). At first I thought they were some sort of seeds that had fallen off nearby trees, but then I saw that had an interesting texture so I took a closer look.  Then I saw that they had legs. so I took some photos. 

That evening, back at home, I was able to identify them as Cionus tuberculosus (= Cionus tuberculatus), the figwort weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).  Then I looked up figwort, thinking it was a plant I hadn't come across before, but when I saw a picture I immediately recognized it as something I had seen beside the large lake a couple of weeks ago.  The following morning I went back up to the lake and was able to take this photo:

What's more, these plants, which were 200 metres from the nettles where I had first see the figwort weevils, were also infested with the very same weevils:

Some people think that these look like little elephants:

Note the rounded bumps on the edge of the leaf: these are characteristic of water figwort (Scrophularia auriculata = Scrophularia aquatica); the other common UK species of figwort, woodland figwort (Scrophularia nodosa)  has serrated edges to its leaves.

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-10-08 (the first) and 2009-10-09 (the rest).