Tephritid Flies

From last summer: a pair of Urophora stylata (Diptera: Tephritidae) mating on a spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare).

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2012-07-01.

Hoverfly

From last summer: a female Volucella inanis (Diptera: Syrphidae), hornet-mimic hoverfly.

Photo taken on The Warren, near Caversham, UK, on 2012-08-12

Toothed Crust Fungus

A toothed crust fungus, probably Steccherinum ochraceum, growing on a birch twig (Betula sp).  The top edge is beginning to curve over to form brackets.  I found this twig only a few metres away from the birch stump with probable S.ochraceum brackets that I mentioned here.

The spores at x600 (86um image width), are about 3 x 2um:

Sample taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2013-02-02.

Jelly Fungus

A black jelly fungus, probably either Exidia glandulosa or Exidia nigricans, on a twig from a broadleaf tree.

The spores are curved sausage shape (allantoid) and about 15 x 4um.  This is consistent with the 14–19 x 4.5–5.5um quoted for E. glandulosa and for E. nigricans (these two species are indistinguishable under the microscope).  The above image is x600 and is about 86um wide.

First photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2012-12-18.

Muscid Fly

A female Thricops diaphanus (Diptera: Muscidae).  The white stuff on its back is probably pollen dropped from the anthers of a flower while the fly was feeding on the flower's nectar.  Flies can be important pollinators of flowers (see here).

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2010-11-06.