David

These mushrooms were growing near Southgate.  This mushroom is normally predominantly white, as indeed they were here a few weeks ago.

This tiny spider was rushing round on the ends of the floaters of the dandelion seeds without seeming to make any impression on them.

An ear fungus growing on its preferred host, an elder tree. This one appears every year in Hawthorn Wood, in the Smestow Valley LNR off Horden Road.

Ten pictures of hoverflies feeding on ivy flowers today.

For some reason, I have less inhibitions about getting up close to them than I do when trying to photograph bees or wasps.

See the contrast between different parts of their bodies, parts looking shiny-smooth, and others hairy (complete with trapped grains of pollen).

This picture was taken way back in July, when it was possible to sit out on one of the terraces of the Charlton Arms in Ludford after sunset, sipping one of the pub’s excellent pints to the background of the soothing sounds of the river Teme.

This was the only bee I spotted among many various insects feeding on ivy flowers recently.