David

Acorns growing on an oak at the lower end of Barley Field. They had reached this stage of development at the end of August.

Hedge brown butterflies are also known as gatekeepers. This one was resting on a thistle in the meadow near the Smestow Valley Ranger Station.

This unusual-looking fungus was growing in two clumps on the opposite sides of a tree in West Park. There were warty or spiky protruberences on the upper surface.

The lower surface was slightly rippled, but there was no sign of gills or pores.

The yellow zone on the upper surface was much clearer on one side of the tree than the other.

The small white butterfly is usually quite timid, but this one was resting on a leaf and let me get close enough for a photo.

One of the reeds growing by the Staffs & Worcs canal near Castlecroft, its seeds ripening about a month ago.

Little Japanese umbrella mushrooms are common. But these small and elegant fungi often grow in grass, where they can be easily overlooked. This one was growing on a roadside near Worfield.

Cones developing on a monkey puzzle tree in West Park yesterday.

Are the yellow structures on the tips of the more distant branches the flowers?

Tortoiseshell butterflies normally rest with their wings spread. This one kept its wings folder together, showing the undersides, for several minutes.

The insects were out in force, feeding, in Barely Field on a warm day over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Cross spiders are probably the commonest garden spider which builds the classic type of spider’s web. This one was in a bush right by a main road.