Wolves Wild

Comma butterfly methodically feeding on the flowers of a buddleia, the so-called butterfly bush.

Teal, the smallest European duck, on the rail which runs round the edge of the West Park boating lake.

Crab apples beginning to ripen on a tree growing wild by the path in the field at the back of Compton Lock.

Hollyhock flowers – from two different garden plants.

Robin’s pincushions are also galls, this time from a wasp which targets roses – usually those growing wild.

The “Robin” of the name is not a bird, but the woodland spirit, Robin Goodfellow.

Galls develop on plants (often trees) when some types of wasps lay their eggs there.

Spangle galls are found on oak trees, often, as here, many to a leaf. One of the oak trees on the edge of the Barley Field had spangle galls on most of its leaves.

Empty cases which had formed the protective cover for the chrysalis stage of cicadas, showing the hole in the back where the adult insect emerged.

I couldn’t get in close enough to see whether these still had the insect inside.

Another silver Y moth – this one was resting on a nettle leaf by the Smestow Valley Nature Reserve’s Railway Walk.

Silver Y moth, named from the paler shape on the forewing.

This one came under cover to shelter from the rain.

Vibernum, leaves turning red at the margins, the stem a dull red, and the berries turning a glossy red. The plant was growing in a hedge at Northycote Farm.