Lacerta Zootoca vivipara

Or common lizards to you and I. I found this pair doing a little basking in the sun by a pond at the London Wetlands Centre.

Without wanting to court controversy, I should point out that the one in the foreground with the rather sour expression and the red rimmed eye, is the female. I don't really go in for anthropomorphic descriptions of wildlife but from her shape her "bad mood" may be down to the impending arrival of some baby lizards - this is one of those rare species of reptile that give birth to live young rather than laying eggs.

I hope the little ones do as well as mum and dad who are clearly a couple of born survivors - both of them are missing a fairly large amount of their tail!

It was a bit of a toss up which shot to use again, amongst the better alternatives were the mating damselflies and the rather striking Helophilus pendulus hover fly that I've added as extras.