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).

Ichneumon Wasp

A female ichneumon wasp (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) on decaying blackberries (Rubus sp).

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-10-08.

Orange Tip Butterfly

From back in the spring-time: a male orange tip butterfly, Anthocaris cardamines (Lepidoptera: Pieridae).  Only the males have the orange patches; the females are just white and black.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-05-20.

Pond Skaters

Pond skaters  (Hemiptera: Gerridae) on the northern shore of the large lake.  I do not have the means, at the present, to determine the species, nor even the genus.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-10-04.

Willow Herb

A willow herb seed head.  These develop from these:

which, in turn, develop from these:

This plant was growing in the long grass and was rather small compared with the great hairy willow herb (Epilobium hirsutum) that grow beside the lakes, so I don't know whether it was the same species.  I will just call it Epilobium sp. for the time being.

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