My first outing of the autumn with the Norfolk Fungus Study Group saw 17 of us meeting on the busy carpark at Lynford Arboretum for a foray.
On the way I stopped for a 'comfort break' at West Tofts and scored with Pointed-keeled Rhyzobius, 16-spot Ladybird and Long-legged Plant Bug after a quick sweep with the net. 2 family parties of Stonechats were also there.
At Lynford Vanna headed off towards Lynford Water to look for insects (more of that to follow) while the rest of us ventured into the arboretum. Despite there being few fruiting bodies about due to the dry weather some good bits and pieces were still discovered. Conifer Blueing Bracket and Magenta Rustgill were first up, both good lookers (and both new to me). The latter is a woodchip specialist and an alien that is now spreading well in SE England. Other goodies found in the arboretum itself were Split Gill, Purplepore Bracket, Bleeding Bonnet, Deer Shield, Willow Shield, Scarlet Caterpillar Club, Ginkgo Dotty and Brown Parasol with the plethora of mildews and other micro-fungi that rather pass me by! Curious rings of a large and very pale funnel species had everyone stumped but since the event they have been nailed down as the white form of Clouded Funnel.
After lunch we moved down to the path between the lake and the paddocks finding Glazed Cup, Alder Tongue, Sycamore White Spot and a rollrim under Alders that subsequently proved to be Paxillus olivellus. James was also able to identify 2 midge galls on Meadowsweet for me as Dasineura ulmaria and Dasineura pustulans.
Insects proved to be just as exciting with Tree Damsel Bug, Parent Bug, Hawthorn Shidlbug, Lesser Thorn-tipped Longhorn Beetle, Grass Bug, Black Clock Beetle and Willow Emerald found as we mooched about. The best was still to come though as we met up with Vanna again on the carpark and she produced 2 fantastic finds that she'd potted up - Map Weevil, a specialist of Viper's Bugloss and the rare and very seldom recorded Black Scymnus ladybird beaten from young pines.
It called for a celebratory icecream at the Shepherds Baa cafe for a few of us!
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