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<!--Generated by Squarespace Site Server v5.8.0 (http://www.squarespace.com/) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:20:30 GMT--><rss xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" version="2.0"><channel><title>Life and Opinions</title><link>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/</link><description></description><lastBuildDate>Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:58:09 +0000</lastBuildDate><copyright></copyright><language>en-GB</language><generator>Squarespace Site Server v5.8.0 (http://www.squarespace.com/)</generator><item><title>Fleabane</title><category>Photos</category><category>Plants</category><dc:creator>Tristram Brelstaff</dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:58:07 +0000</pubDate><link>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/2009/11/7/fleabane.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">8510:555156:5717893</guid><description><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/utn_uUnYOmTxotGABWr0vw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_XvboqqAMSuo/SvRAXhITr6I/AAAAAAAAFLk/8DiWIdvH88w/s800/Pulicaria-dysenterica-Fleabane-20090812a.JPG" alt="" width="550" /></a></p>
<p>From a few months back, fleabane (<em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulicaria_dysenterica">Pulicaria dysenterica</a>)</em>.&nbsp; The leaves look like this:</p>
<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/X6MGIAZdl2M0B7KYb7-u2Q?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_XvboqqAMSuo/SvRAXxdpxsI/AAAAAAAAFLo/HTM3tqybRTA/s800/Pulicaria-dysenterica-Fleabane-20090812b.JPG" alt="" width="550" /></a></p>
<p>Photos taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-08-12.</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/rss-comments-entry-5717893.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Crab Spider with Hoverfly</title><category>Arachnids</category><category>Insects</category><category>Photos</category><dc:creator>Tristram Brelstaff</dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:18:23 +0000</pubDate><link>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/2009/11/6/crab-spider-with-hoverfly.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">8510:555156:5710944</guid><description><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/8nVoK06B-hBXEAIAGbw74w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XvboqqAMSuo/SvMokFGPo4I/AAAAAAAAFKY/0xvgzQV2cjE/s800/Misumena-vatia-White-crab-spider.20090626.JPG" alt="" width="550" /></a></p>
<p>A white crab spider, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misumena_vatia"><em>Misumena vatia</em></a> (family <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomisidae">Thomisidae</a>, order <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araneae">Araneae</a>) with an ambush victim, hoverfly <a href="http://www.commanster.eu/commanster/Insects/Flies/SpFlies/Cheilosia.illustrata.html"><em>Cheilosia illustrata</em></a>.&nbsp; For more on <em>M. vatia</em> see <a href="http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/2009/6/9/white-spider.html">here</a>; for more on <em>C. illustrata</em> see <a href="http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/2009/11/5/hoverfly-on-hogweed.html">here</a>.&nbsp; The flowers are hogweed (<em>Heracleum sphondylium</em>).</p>
<p>Photo taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK on 2009-06-26.</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/rss-comments-entry-5710944.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Hoverfly on Hogweed</title><category>Insects</category><category>Photos</category><dc:creator>Tristram Brelstaff</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:54:33 +0000</pubDate><link>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/2009/11/5/hoverfly-on-hogweed.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">8510:555156:5695996</guid><description><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/vAVErFZWFBqosAYSGs_g3Q?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_XvboqqAMSuo/SvHC2yRxfKI/AAAAAAAAFJw/b1IUupwj98Y/s800/Cheilosia-illustrata-Hoverfly-20090619a.JPG" alt="" width="550" /></a></p>
<p>When I first saw this, I thought that it must be a bee, but when I got home and looked it up, it turned out to be a hoverfly: <a href="http://www.commanster.eu/commanster/Insects/Flies/SpFlies/Cheilosia.illustrata.html"><em>Cheilosia illustrata</em></a> (family <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrphidae">Syrphidae</a>, order Diptera).&nbsp; The flowers it is feeding on are hogweed (<em>Heracleum sphondylium).</em></p>
<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/EoNeQlh2S-j6gEVEFB3lUA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_XvboqqAMSuo/SvHC24dL00I/AAAAAAAAFJ0/_8f71R54Jsg/s800/Cheilosia-illustrata-Hoverfly-20090619b.JPG" alt="" width="550" /></a></p>
<p>Photos taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-06-19.</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/rss-comments-entry-5695996.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Red Kite over Broad Street, Reading</title><category>Birds</category><dc:creator>Tristram Brelstaff</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:06:14 +0000</pubDate><link>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/2009/11/4/red-kite-over-broad-street-reading.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">8510:555156:5693401</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>I was walking along Broad Street, Reading at lunch time today when a red kite flew out from over Marks and Spencer's.&nbsp; I slowed my pace so as not to bump into anyone, and watched while it drifted off at roof-top level in the direction of the Oracle shopping centre.&nbsp; The black, brown and white markings on the underside of its wings were clearly visible.</p>
<p>This is not the first time I have seen one of these birds from Broad Street.&nbsp;&nbsp; See <a href="http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/2005/9/27/red-kite-over-broad-street-reading.html">here</a> for details.</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/rss-comments-entry-5693401.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Hoverfly on Sneezewort</title><category>Insects</category><category>Photos</category><category>Plants</category><dc:creator>Tristram Brelstaff</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:44:11 +0000</pubDate><link>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/2009/11/4/hoverfly-on-sneezewort.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">8510:555156:5678363</guid><description><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/U6q0SL3oP5n_F0nUBiJRmw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_XvboqqAMSuo/Su8c7ESJPhI/AAAAAAAAFIk/uRxNWndT278/s800/Sphaerophoria-scripta-Hoverfly-20090816.JPG" alt="" width="550" /></a></p>
<p>A female <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphaerophoria_scripta"><em>Sphaerophoria scripta</em></a> (family <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrphidae">Syrphidae</a>, order Diptera) feeding on sneezewort (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achillea_ptarmica"><em>Achillea ptarmica</em></a>).</p>
<p>Photo taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-08-16.</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/rss-comments-entry-5678363.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Black Chalcid Wasp</title><category>Insects</category><category>Photos</category><dc:creator>Tristram Brelstaff</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:09:27 +0000</pubDate><link>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/2009/11/3/black-chalcid-wasp.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">8510:555156:5677511</guid><description><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/I9eCH8hsQUcskkxj6BhpKQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_XvboqqAMSuo/Su8FlffoQWI/AAAAAAAAFIQ/9g8_wMvxlaU/s400/Sycophila-biguttata-Chalcid-wasp-20091102a.JPG" alt="" /></a></p>
<p>This afternoon I came across this black chalcid wasp on the underside of an oak leaf.&nbsp; I think it is probably <em><a href="http://hedgerowmobile.com/Sycophilabiguttata.html">Sycophila biguttata</a></em> (family <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurytomidae">Eurytomidae</a>, order Hymenoptera) based on comparison with photos <a href="http://hedgerowmobile.com/Sycophilabiguttata.html">here</a> and <a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/jdsml/research-curation/research/projects/chalcidoids/mediaPopup.dsml?IMAGENO=chalc621&amp;VALGENUS=Sycophila&amp;VALSPECIES=biguttata">here</a>.&nbsp; The black bar visible across the folded wings is actually formed by two black spots, one on each wing.&nbsp; Although I did see this specimen crawl over the smooth spangle gall visible in the top left of the above photo, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroterus_albipes"><em>Neuroterus albipes</em></a>, the Cynipid wasp that causes smooth spangle galls, is not listed as one of the species parasitized by <em>Sycophila biguttata</em>.&nbsp; Maybe the above association was just a coincidence.</p>
<p>This individual was a female; you can make out a short ovipositor in the following photo:</p>
<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/s9bwsvVNDJM58WsAZ-folQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_XvboqqAMSuo/Su8FleqR5pI/AAAAAAAAFIU/QnJIBiHOl-g/s400/Sycophila-biguttata-Chalcid-wasp-20091102b.JPG" alt="" /></a></p>
<p>Photos taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, Uk, on 2009-11-02.</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/rss-comments-entry-5677511.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Grey Squirrel</title><category>Photos</category><dc:creator>Tristram Brelstaff</dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000</pubDate><link>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/2009/11/2/grey-squirrel.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">8510:555156:5671234</guid><description><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/eW4KD5l6e7e7Xr3gQhwFzg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XvboqqAMSuo/Su3mKRz8RWI/AAAAAAAAFHU/tdOfHttyBCU/s800/Sciurus-carolinensis-Grey-squirrel-20091029.JPG" alt="" width="550" /></a></p>
<p>A grey squirrel (<em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sciurus_carolinensis">Sciurus carolinensis</a></em>) feeding on maple keys just outside our living room window.&nbsp; There are four of these squirrels living in the trees that surround our flats.</p>
<p>Photo taken in Reading, UK, on 2009-11-01.</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/rss-comments-entry-5671234.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Moth Fly</title><category>Insects</category><category>Photos</category><dc:creator>Tristram Brelstaff</dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:54:02 +0000</pubDate><link>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/2009/11/1/moth-fly.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">8510:555156:5664230</guid><description><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/4fJyUN8UGDacR3AkvWXs4A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_XvboqqAMSuo/SuxPTsCahpI/AAAAAAAAFGU/sFx3prtMIIk/s400/Moth-fly-20090716.JPG" alt="" /></a></p>
<p>A moth fly (family <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychodidae">Psychodidae</a>, order Diptera) on an iris blade.&nbsp; I have no idea of the genus nor the species.&nbsp; See <a href="http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/2009/4/22/moth-fly.html">here</a> for one of my earlier photos of moth flies.</p>
<p>Photo taken beside the large lake, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-07-16.</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/rss-comments-entry-5664230.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Common Flower Bug</title><category>Insects</category><category>Photos</category><dc:creator>Tristram Brelstaff</dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:10:05 +0000</pubDate><link>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/2009/10/31/common-flower-bug.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">8510:555156:5664145</guid><description><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/UaAonpkpWYy8o6XLU74Jwg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_XvboqqAMSuo/SuxF6L6Y01I/AAAAAAAAFGA/4wNHn92FER4/s400/Anthocoris-nemorum-Flower-bug-20090623.JPG" alt="" /></a></p>
<p>A common flower bug, <a href="http://www.britishbugs.org.uk/heteroptera/Anthocoridae/Anthocoris_nemorum.html"><em>Anthocoris nemorum</em></a> (family <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthocoridae">Anthocoridae</a>, order Hemiptera), probably on a the leaf of a blackberry bush (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubus"><em>Rubus</em> sp.</a>), though I have more frequently seen them on stinging nettles (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urtica_dioica"><em>Urtica dioica</em></a>).&nbsp; At only 3 or 4mm long, these bugs are really quite small.&nbsp; The similar <a href="http://www.britishbugs.org.uk/heteroptera/Anthocoridae/Anthocoris_nemoralis.html"><em>A. nemoralis</em></a> and <a href="http://www.britishbugs.org.uk/heteroptera/Anthocoridae/Anthocoris_confusus.html"><em>A. confusus</em></a> tend to be a little darker and prefer to live on deciduous trees.</p>
<p>Photo taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-06-23.</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/rss-comments-entry-5664145.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Light Brown Apple Moth</title><category>Insects</category><category>Photos</category><dc:creator>Tristram Brelstaff</dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:36:30 +0000</pubDate><link>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/2009/10/30/light-brown-apple-moth.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">8510:555156:5659206</guid><description><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/obF7Eqw3gDLlE2tQ-3J7aQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_XvboqqAMSuo/SutORLxqQ9I/AAAAAAAAFFY/lEDxBDhwJrA/s400/Epiphyas-postvittana-Light-brown-apple-moth-20090905.JPG" alt="" /></a></p>
<p>From back in early September: a light brown apple moth, <a href="http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=998"><em>Epiphyas postvittana</em></a> (family <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortricidae">Tortricidae</a>, order Lepidoptera).&nbsp; This is a leaf-roller moth of some economic importance as a pest. Its larvae grow on many types of plant, not just apple trees. It originated in Australia but has spread to Britain, New Zealand, Hawaii and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphyas_postvittana#Eradication_measures_in_California">has recently been discovered</a> in California.</p>
<p>Photo taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-09-05.</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/rss-comments-entry-5659206.xml</wfw:commentRss></item></channel></rss>