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David

Poppies, busy bumble bees

Opium poppy flower, white-tailed bumble bee

Two poppies in front gardens. In the one, a white-tailed bumble bee energetically moving round gathering pollen; in the other a vestal cuckoo bee similarly engaged.

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David

Heads down (cygnets feeding)

Heads down (cygnets feeding)

This year’s West Park cygnets, growing fast. Here in the middle of the lake, getting their heads down under the water, feeding.

Two mallard ducklings (one tiny, the other bigger) have managed to sneak in to pictures in the sequence. I didn’t spot them at the time, and have not seen any sign of them on several subsequent visits to the park.

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David

Two Wolverhampton parks

Two Wolverhampton parks

Two Wolverhampton parks in panoramic view. The two islands in the West Park lake, and the wildflower meadow at Bantock Park (this year dominated by wild grasses).

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David

Liocoris tripustulatus – Common nettle bug

Common nettle bug

A common nettle bug (Liocoris tripustulatus) looking round while on the tip of a butterfly bush leaf.

Common nettle bug

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David

Lurid boletes on a dentists’ lawn

Lurid boletes on a dentists' lawn

The second set of mushrooms I saw this summer, also a bolete. This time I was able to get a closer look – they were on a dentists’ lawn.

Some boletes are gourmet favourites. The penny bun will currently be on sale in continental markets under names such as ceps or Steinpilz. These are lurid boletes. Technically edible (not actually poisonous) but unpalatable (very unpleasant flavour).

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David

Click beetle Athous haemorrhoidalis

Click beetle Athous haemorrhoidalis

Athous haemorrhoidalis, a click beetle. This one spent some time resting on hazal leaf, warming itself in the sun.

The antennae were waving about like they were being blown by a strong, gusty wind.