Longhorn Moth

From back in early July: a female longhorn moth, probably Nemophora cupriacella (Lepidoptera: Adelidae).

These little metallic longhorn moths can be quite difficult to distinguish visually but, fortunately, they tend to appear at different times of the year:

• Adela cuprella:  March, April, May
• Adela reaumurella:  April, May
• Adela rufimitrella:  May, June
• Nemophora cupriacella:  July, August

See here for a female Adela reaumurella that I photographed back in May 2010.

Photos taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2011-07-02.

Orange Fly

A small orange fly, possibly Neuroctena anilis (Diptera: Dryomyzidae).

[Note added 2012-10-29: This species has apparently recently been renamed back to Dryomyza anilis.]

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2011-10-09.

Dragonflies

A pair of common darter dragonflies mating: Sympetrum striolatum (Odonata: Libellulidae).

Photo taken beside the top lake, Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2011-10-13.

Ephydrid Fly

A tiny fly with patterned wings: probably Limnellia quadrata (Diptera: Ephydridae).

Photo taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2011-10-13.

Autumn Bibionid Fly

A few days ago I came across this male Bibionid fly.  This surprised me as I tend to associate the Bibionidae with spring and early summer.  However two species do come out in the autumn: Bibio clavipes and Bibio lepidus.  I think this one is Bibio clavipes (Diptera: Bibionidae) based on the shape of the stigma (the dark spot on the leading edge of the wing) and its position relative to the vein that runs to it (see here for details), but I could be wrong.

Photos taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2011-10-09.