Another Slime Mould

Mature sporangia of the slime mould Badhamia panicae on the bark of a log. The distribution of the sporangia over the surface of the log suggests that the slime mould plasmodium first moved along the cracks in the bark before spreading out slightly and then forming the sporangia.

The following close-up show that the sporangia are stalkless, unlike Badhamia utricularis. Also, where the calcified sporangial wall has split, you can see the spore-mass contains badhamioid (calcified) particles of capillitium.

On the surface of the bark, you can also make out the thin red film that is the remains of the plasmodium.  This thin red film is characteristic of B. panicea.

Photos taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2013-10-05.

Slime Mould

A white slime mould with black stalks that I haven't yet managed to identify.  It was growing on a fallen log.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2013-09-28.

Leaf Mine

A leaf mine along the mid-rib of a hawthorn leaf (Crataegus sp), possibly caused by the larva of the moth Phyllonorycter leucographella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae).  There were quite a lot of  these mid-rib leaf mines over several hawthorn bushes.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2013-09-28.

Tachinid Fly

Trixia conspersa (Diptera: Tachinidae), recognizable by the dark cross-veins on the wings and the small antennae.  Identification confirmed by Theo Zeegers here at Diptera.info.

I caught this specimen and took these two photos later at home.

First photo and specimen taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2013-09-28.

Hornet

A hornet, Vespa crabro (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) feeding on ivy flowers (Hedera helix).

Photo taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK on 2013-09-29.