Hoverfly

A male hoverfly, probably Dasysyrphus albostriatus (Diptera: Syrphidae).  Presumably albostriatus because of the two white lines just behind the head.  Note that the lines on the abdomen lean forward and are straight (not curved as those in Scaeva pyrastri and Eupeopdes luniger).  The following photo shows the lines a bit more clearly:

And this is a female:

As with Eupeodes luniger, there seems to be quite a bit of variability in the thickness of the lines on the abdomen.

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2010-06-19 (the male) and 2010-07-11 (the female).

Muscid Fly

A close relative of the house fly: Musca autumnalis (Diptera: Muscidae, order Diptera).  This is a male; females have a noticable gap on between their eyes, they have bolder black and white stripes on the thorax, and they have no orange patches on the sides of the abdomen.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2010-07-13.

Lauxaniid Fly

An orange Lauxaniid fly, probably a Sapromyza sp, possibly Sapromyza sexpunctata (Diptera: Lauxaniidae), based on the three black spots visible on the near-side of the abdomen.

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2010-07-13.

Two More Species of Thistle Gall Fly

On a thistle (Cirsium sp) in one of the few remaining areas of grassland that hasn't been mown yet: gall fly Anomoia purmunda (Diptera: Tephritidae). When I first saw it, I thought it was two aphids standing on the back of a fly, and was quite surprised when the whole 'assemblage' flew off as a single unit. 

A few metres away I came across the following, also on a thistle:

Probably Terellia ruficauda (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2010-07-11.

Beetle Larvae and Eggs

Larvae and eggs of the green dock beetle, Gastrophysa viridula (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).  Identification based on photos here and here.  The larvae are demolishing this leaf so effectively that I don't think the larvae still in the eggs will find any left when they hatch out.  For photos of the adults that I took last year, see here and here.

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2010-06-15 and 2010-06-19, respectively.