Autumn's Arrival

[Cybershot]

In my eyes the sight of the first full blown Amanita muscaria - Fly Agaric heralds the arrival of Autumn (giving a quick glance in Shirley's direction) and though locally August was disappointingly sparse of fungi finds (reports from southern England of cancelled forays and field study courses) there are signs that the season's tardy arrival is slowly gaining momentum. A local fungus group recorded 30+ species in one viicinity yesterday, and my recent parambulations with the dog are at last bearing fruit:

[goosey]

A lovely selection there David, I really do like the Lactarius torminosus, it has great texture and colour .
You are right, it does seem like the season is gaining momentum at last - here's to many more finds and new species (and my elusive fly agarics and lots of them - you win )!

[Cybershot]

Hi Shirley

In answer to your Gallery question, the habitat for Lactarius torminosus is described as "Usually gregarious near Betula in forests, parks, gardens, not associated with any particular type of forest. Late Summer - fall. Widespread but not common". This bears out my experiences of finding this on a regular basis in this area almost always alongside roadways, tracks and paths under ferns and rhododendrons in the vicinity of Birch trees. When the cap colour fades on maturity it could be confused with L. pubescens which occurs in similar habitats. However the cap of the latter is not zoned. Torminosus means "suffering from colic" A poisonous fungus if eaten raw but edible when cooked properly.



David

[Cybershot]

Any semblance of a normal autum's crop of fruitbodies continued to be jeopardized by the lack of precipitation untill the first week in October when three days of fairly persistent rain gave rise to some hope of kick starting another flush. This was particularly evident when, on 7 October I returned form a rain sodden walk on Yateley Common (adjacent to Blackbushe Airfield) having witnessed quite literally hundreds of Amanita muscaria; diversions down every path and rounding every corner revealed troops of 10's, 15's and 20's - never seen the like before even in 2006. Amazing!



Even before the rains arrived Honey Fungus, in it's various guises, was apparently oblivious to prevailing weather conditions, and swathes of clumps of this fungus continued to be the subject of many various reports from all corners:



I am also glad to report that yet another species defying the odds and sticking closely to the timetable it has followed over the previous three years is Coprinopsis picacea - Magpie Inkcap; found after a stroke of luck last Tuesday:

[goosey]

Originally Posted by Cybershot

'having witnessed quite literally hundreds of Amanita muscaria; diversions down every path and rounding every corner revealed troops of 10's, 15's and 20's - never seen the like before even in 2006. Amazing!

Amazing is certainly the word, you lucky (though the words greedy and jammy spring to mind )thing you! I dream of finding one Amanita muscaria and would be happy with that (well I would have been until I heard about this ).

Good to hear though, things are on the up in your area at last!

[Cybershot]

An Autumn selection from a season which, apart from notable exceptions mentioned above, so far has failed to deliver anywhere near the number of fruit bodies normally expected at this tme of year:

[Tynanatior]

winter seems to be kicking in early across the irish sea cybershot

[Cybershot]

This morning in the company of fellow WAB forayers Leif an JP I was privileged to view two rare species in an infrequently visited area of Minley Wood, Hampshire UK:

Sarcodon squamosus - Scaly Tooth is a Red Data List species subject to a Biodiversity Action Plan



and Rizopogon luteolus - False Yellow Truffle is infrequently found in Britain other than in the Scottish Highlands



Judging by the numbers of fruit bodies of various species starting to carpet the floor of the wood the autumn glut has definitely arrived.

[goosey]

Originally Posted by Cybershot

This morning in the company of fellow WAB forayers Leif an JP I was privileged to view two rare species in an infrequently visited area of Minley Wood, Hampshire UK:

Sarcodon squamosus - Scaly Tooth is a Red Data List species subject to a Biodiversity Action Plan

and Rizopogon luteolus - False Yellow Truffle is infrequently found in Britain other than in the Scottish Highlands

Judging by the numbers of fruit bodies of various species starting to carpet the floor of the wood the autumn glut has definitely arrived.

Good to hear you are getting out again .

The strange conditions this year look to be throwing up some interesting finds. There is a huge discrepancy in distance between Hampshire and the Highlands - how on earth has that happened? Understandably if the finds were even found as far south as Yorkshire you could accept that fact, but Hampshire!

[goosey]

Though I have had to wait until November at last, masses of fungi have appeared. We have had alot of rain over the the last week and it has paid dividends. Don't get me wrong, I found some lovely specimens in September and October and some brand new ones to me, but as mentioned on other occassions usually in small numbers and they took a lot of hunting out. But now it is just a case of standing still and seeing lots of varieties in large numbers.
4th November I found my first Amanita muscaria of the year about 20 of them, just two days short of two months later than I found my first last year. Today I was out and most were still looking good, then I went on to find two more sites of them. There are also huge amounts of Macrolepiota Sp, Mycena Pura/Rosea around and lots of lovely colourful fungi which I just love - so much more interesting than brown an white/cream specimens .

I was only out about an hour and a half this morning, it was very cold and frosty and there was just so much fungi to see - It is a very exciting time .

Reninfrance, there is hope don't give up, you probably have all yours to appear yet!

[reninfrance]

Still nothing Goosey,
Lots of rain the past fortnight tho' so I remain sort of hopeful.
I have been wondering if part of the problem is the garden's relative youth.
10 years ago a field / village dump cut for hay with patches of bramble; no shrubs or trees and sandy gravelly soil no more than 5cms deep. I think I might have to be very very patient as new habitats mature and can support the growth of airborn spores.
never mind I am enjoying the threads
ren
PS plenty of mosses and litchens -must have a closer look at them when it dries up a bit.

[goosey]

Originally Posted by reninfrance

Still nothing Goosey,
Lots of rain the past fortnight tho' so I remain sort of hopeful.
I have been wondering if part of the problem is the garden's relative youth.
10 years ago a field / village dump cut for hay with patches of bramble; no shrubs or trees and sandy gravelly soil no more than 5cms deep. I think I might have to be very very patient as new habitats mature and can support the growth of airborn spores.
never mind I am enjoying the threads
ren
PS plenty of mosses and litchens -must have a closer look at them when it dries up a bit.

How frustrating. On the positive side, lichens and mosses can be quite lovely in their own right and are often over looked.
Just a thought -have you a log pile? Not the sort for keeping logs to heat your house but a pile of mixed logs and branches etc, to provide a habitat for insects, invertabrates, small mamals, amphibians and reptiles (if you are lucky). I have a small one tucked away made up from bits of wood I have picked up, and I have just noticed today there is quite a lot of a Mycena sp on some of the wood. In the past I have found various type of fungi growing there.
If you haven't already got one they are really quick to start to establish and I find alsorts of thing living in mine even in an enclosed garden.