A Barkfly and maybe some Barkfly Nymphs

From a week or two ago, Valenzuela flavidus, a barkfly (family Caeciliusidae, order Psocoptera).  When I was taking the photo, I didn't actually see the nymphs and the nursery.  I am not sure if the nymphs are the same species as the adult, but they do seem to be the right shape for young barkflies (see here).

A couple of month ago I photographed what I thought might be a barkfly (see here), but I have recently identified that as a lime aphid.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-08-31.

Update on Thu 2009-09-24 by Tristram Brelstaff

Here is another photo of an adult, which shows the wing venation more clearly.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds on 2009-09-24.

Exploding Trousers

From Wikipedia:

In New Zealand in the 1930s, farmers reportedly had trouble with exploding trousers as a result of attempts to wipe out the weed ragwort. Farmers had been spraying sodium chlorate, a government recommended weedkiller, onto the ragwort, and some of the spray had ended up on their clothes.

Sounds like a case for Wallace and Gromit. 

Sodium chlorate is being withdrawn from sale within the EC from the end of this month.  I am not sure whether this is a an anti-terrorist or environmental measure.

A Black Ichneumon Wasp

An ichneumon wasp (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae).  I have no idea of the genus or species.

[Note added 2012-11-18: Possibly a Coelichneumon sp.  See the image just over half-way down this page at Alain Ramel's Les Insectes site.]

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-09-10.

Cranefly

A cranefly, probably Tipula paludosa (Diptera: Tipulidae).  A male because its abdomen does not taper to a point, as it does in female craneflies.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-09-08.

Migrant Hawker Dragonfly

A migrant hawker dragonfly, Aeshna mixta (Odonata: Aeshnidae).  I have been seeing these frequently on my walks over the past few weeks but this was the first to come close enough for me to photograph.

Migrant hawkers are distinguished from the similar common hawkers, Aeshna juncae, by the white golf-tee shape on the back, just behind the thorax.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-09-08.