One of the reeds growing by the Staffs & Worcs canal near Castlecroft, its seeds ripening about a month ago.
Little japanese umbrella growing on open soil
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.
Monkey puzzle cones
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 butterfly resting with folded wings
Tortoiseshell butterflies normally rest with their wings spread. This one kept its wings folder together, showing the undersides, for several minutes.
Cross spider on its web, eating
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.
Hoverfly on a ragwort flower
The insects were out in force, feeding, in Barely Field on a warm day over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
Greenbottle fly resting on a warm day
The greenbottle seemed to be lethargic on a warm day at the end of August: it stayed on the leaf as I got near enough for this close-up.
Small moth on a nettle leaf
A small and inconspicuous moth, resting on a nettle leaf in a field near the Smestow Valley Ranger Station.
Snail crawling on a bramble leaf
The trail left behind shows the path this snail took as it moved around a bramble leaf.
Marigold flowers after rain
Two views of marigolds flowering which I noticed recently.
