Oct-Dec 08

This is found on stumps, logs and fallen branches of deciduous trees all year. Very common, one of the most commonly recorded fungi in Britain. Not edible.

Found with Birch in scrub or open woodland during summer and autumn. Common and said to be edible.

Taken at Sevenoaks Reserve this is one of the Clitocybe mushrooms with gills. Found in deciduous woodland or on heaths, from summer to late autumn and said to be edible.

One of the most common toadstalls but among the most variable, hence it's common name. I think I have got this one right, but?

 One of the Mycena fungi, possibly Mycena arcangeliana or Angel's Bonnet is about as close as I can get on this one.

Taken near Sevenoaks this is a common fungi. Found in woodland from summer to late autumn and said to be edible when young.

The upper picture is the young fungi and the lower is more mature. Said to be edible but causing alarming symptoms when taken in conjunction with alcohol. It has been given to alcoholics to cause nausea and palpitations in an effort to cure them. Black ink used to be made from these fungi  caps by boiling the ink with a little water and cloves.

Taken at Sevenoaks Reserve this is found amongst leaf  litter in deciduous woods during late summer to to autumn. The fruit body  is 3-5 cm across and bulb shaped at first, opening to 5-10 cm and the outer wall splitting into 4-8 pointed rays which bend back under the fruit body, leaving the spore sack sitting in a saucer like base. This is not edible.

This is a common fungus and was taken near Sevenoaks. Found in clusters on stumps of deciduous and coniferous trees all year round. Smells mushroomy and the taste is very bitter and is not edible.

This was found near Sevenoaks in a Beech wood. Can be found in coniferous or deciduous woods in late summer to early winter. Said to be edible and worth collecting if found in abundance.

This was taken at New Hythe and is what I presume to be a Wasp's Nest. It was about the size of a football and was hanging in a Hawthorn bush in the East scrub. I think it was either empty or dormant, and I did not prod it to find out if it was inhabited.

Taken near Sevenoaks, Velvet Shank or Velvet Foot refers to the stem. The most unusual feature of this fungus is that it continues to fruit throughout the winter when the clusters of tan yellow caps may be found adorning trunks and fallen logs.

Taken near Sevenoaks this was found on rotting wood. Some of these fungi are not easy to identify and I think I have got this correct. Seen from late spring to early winter.

Stinkhorn, Phallus impudicus, has both English and Latin names that are very apt. This was taken near Sevenoaks. Stalk like white receptacle soon ruptures the egg, extending to 10-25cm high; pendulous, bell shaped head is covered by a mesh of raised ribs coated in dark olive slime containing the spores. The slime has a strong, sickly, offensive smell, reminiscent of rotting meat, which attracts flies from a large distance; the slime sticks to the legs of the flies, dispersing the spores very rapidly, exposing the underlying  Morel-like mesh. This can be seen in the lower photograph which was taken about 18 hours later the next day.

Taken near Sevenoaks, this is a common fungus and is not edible. This one has split and the grey spores can be seen inside.

Birch Polypore or Razorstrop Fungus. This is found on Birch all year round, and the second name refers to its use for sharpening blades. Not edible. Pieces of this fungus were carried by 'Otzi', the 5,300 year old  ice mummy found in the Alps in 1991. He may have valued it for its antibiotic properties.

These two photos are of a Pale Tussock moth caterpillar which Don took on his doorstep at home in Loose. This is a  single brooded insect, with the slow growing larvae occurring from about late June to early October. The adults fly in May and June.

This butterfly was taken at Bockhill and was feeding on Knapweed.

These two pictures above and below were taken at Bockhill.

These two shots above and below of (Syrphus Ribesii) were taken in Gerald's garden in Hempstead.