SOUTH NORFOLK: Gawdyhall Big Wood fungus foray

July 2021

Last year I had been looking forward to a fungus study group event at Gawdyhall Wood, a prviately owned SSSI woodland with lots of Hornbeam in south Norfolk. It had been called off, and postponed agai this year, but we finally got in to have a look around in July. We had a quick look in the walled garden first, where an Ermine moth sp. resting on apple, next to a vacated larval web, was almost certainly Apple Ermine moth, although they are identical to at least one other species so it can't be recorded as such. Some tiny Box Bug nymphs were also of interest.

 The wood itself was large and with few formal paths. There were not too many large fungi, but we did see a few bits of particular interest including my first toothed cup, Tarzetta catinus, and Hornbeam Witches Broom, Taphrina carpini. On the way back to the cars I found a Purple Hairstreak resting, always a good find below head height!