NORTH NORFOLK: A stroll on Bryant's Heath

Late October 2022

Having gone back to North Walsham to visit relatives I decided to take a few hours and walk one of my old haunts, the Weaver's Way down towards Felmingham. I left the footpath at the bridge and continued on to Bryant's Heath, where I did a quick lap and then back the way I had came. There were a few highlights - as I entered the heath I saw a micro moth flying weakly over vegetation. I followed it and managed to get good enough views to confirm it was a November Tubic (Diurnea lipsiella), a new species for me. After checking quite a bit of Aspen I found a couple of mines of Virgin Pigmy moth, Ectoedemia argyropeza, a new 10km square for it. Less pleasant was a ked fly, presumably Deer Ked (Lipoptena cervi) that landed on my trousers. These are rather odd looking blood-sucking flies (see Deer Keds on arthropodafotos.de for more information on them).

The fungal highlight was finding a large patch of Fly Agarics under some birches. Unfortunately they were spread out enough that my pictures don't do justice to what was a very impressive sight.

The last thing of note was several Apionid weevils on Broom. Having researched the pair of similar Broom-feeding species earlier in the week, I was happy these ones were Protopirapion atratulum.

NORTH NORFOLK: A nice day out at Holkham

Late October 2022

We spent a lovely family day at Holkham during the half term holiday, exploring the Holkham experience (a museum/explanation of how the land is managed), Holkham Hall and the walled garden. I found some psyllids, Cacopsylla pyricola, on Pears in the walled garden. A Raven flew over whilst we had coffee, and we ended the visit listening to a Fallow Deer bellowing at the herd, which had come close to the car park.

CENTRAL NORFOLK: Selection of fungi

Late October 2022

I took an autumn wander around Buxton Heath looking for fungi, before  stopping off briefly at Broadland Country Park on the way back.

Fly Agaric

Bay Bolete

Nail Fungus on pony dung

Nut Disco on an acorn

Earthfan

Slime mould sp

Virgin Pygmy leaf mine in Aspen

False Deathcap

Splitgill

Smoky Bracket

NORWICH: Japanese Elm Aphids

Mid-October 2022

On the way home one evening I cut through a small wood and had a look for insects on an Elm leaf. I spotted several young aphids, but nearby was an alate (winged adult). I was able to identify it as  Japanese Elm Aphid (Tinocallis takachihoensis), a new species for me. My pictures aren't very good but you can find out more about it on the Influential Points website here: https://influentialpoints.com/Gallery/Tinocallis_takachihoensis_Japanese_elm_aphid.htm

NORWICH: A selection of rare/interesting local fungi

Mid-October 2022

A few interesting fungi around the city during October. At Earlham Cemetery I went and had a look at Hygrophoropsis rufa, which had been identified by Ian Senior. I've seen 'False Chanterelles' (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca) in the same area in the past, so it seems likely that I'd probably seen H. rufa in the past but not realised it. There was a similar scenario at Sycamore Crescent Wood, where a large woody bracket fungus must have been present near the bridge to Sweetbriar Marshes for many years, but it was only identified this year when Jeremy Bartlett realised that it was Pereniporia fraxinea.

Two species found on my way into work were also new ones. I had seen pictures online of a rather nondescript white fungus called Mealy Domecap (Tricholomella constricta) found by Jeremy Bartlett growing along the edge of a street in the Golden Triangle. Apparently it favours areas 'enriched' by animal urine. As there are plenty of dog walkers nearby I checked a few grassy communal areas near our house and found it within a few minutes! On another morning it was raining so I was looking down, trying to avoid getting soaked, when I noticed several boletes growing on a verge under a Lime tree (Tilia sp). Taking one back and taking a section I realised that it was Boletus (=Xerocomellus) bubalinus, a species new to Norfolk where the cap turns pink with a blue line along the pore layer when cut. This was the first Norfolk record.

Finally I was told about some Aromatic Pinkgills (Entoloma pleopodium) growing in Earlham Cemetery. They had been cut down as part of the mowing regime almost as soon as they had been found, but fortunately Vanna noticed a few fresh ones a week later, so I went back and managed to see them.

WHITLINGHAM: October count & some fungi

9th October 2022

The October WeBS count was probably most notable for all the birds that weren't present, as there was no sign of wintering birds at all. I did manage to read eight Mute Swan rings but that was about it.

A loop back through the wooded edge of Whitlingham Lane at least turned up some nice fungi. Coprinellus xanthothrix was a new one for me, whilst nice but regular finds included Raspberry Slime Mould (Tubifera arachnoidea), Yellow Shield and Veiled Oyster. 

NORWICH: Some early October highlights

Early October 2022

More interesting things seen on my daily commute, including two new aphids, Aphis oenotherae on Evening Primrose and Aphis solanella on Black Nightshade. At Sainsburys on Queens Road there were several moths around one of the security lights, unfortunately nothing new but Large Ranunculus is always nice to see. Walking down towards Lakenham Way I found a Nigma walckenaeri spider hiding under a silk tent. There were also some interesting plants at Wensum Park on a dried-out bit of what is usually a flooded inlet, notably Marsh Yellow-cress, Bullwort and Cockspur Grass.

NORWICH: Royal Midget

Late September 2022

In July I had found Royal Midget (Phyllonorycter pastorella) leaf mines in the Norwich area for the first time. This species was only found in the UK for the first time in 2014, and in Norfolk in 2018. The mines that I found were typical, in being long with a single crease on long-leaved Salix sp. During September I started seeing similar mines in other places around Norwich, notably Whitlingham and Wensum Park. I wasn't completely convinced though, as these mines were a fairly normal Phyllonorycter size rather than the 'typical' extra long ones. I decided to collect an occupied mine from Wensum Park, and a few weeks later an adult emerged. It was indeed Phyllonorycter pastorella, a nice little moth with bushy hairs on the front of the head.

NORWICH: Some powdery mildew recording

Late September 2022

With fewer invertebrates being seen on my walks to and from work I decided to focus on powdery mildews, making an effort to check the mildews on different plants. Not all could be confirmed, but a selection included Arthrocladii mougeotii on Duke of Argyll's Teaplant, Erysiphe arcuata on Hornbeam, Erysiphe convolvuli on Bindweed, Golovinomyces chichoracearum on Prickly Lettuce, Neoerysiphe galeopsidis on Bear's Breeches and Podosphaera plantaginis on Ribwort Plantain.