Fungi Foray

I have never really taken much of a close interest in Fungi over the years and have only ever been able to positively identify the obvious few.

 Now that the insect world has pretty much bedded down for the winter, I have started to take more notice of the wonderful structures that many fungi are.

 I am never going to be an expert Mycologist but I now find that I want to put names to some of the fungi that I come across. I am more confident at naming some than others and I have quickly realised that just taking photographs in the field and trying to identify them from books at home is fraught with confusion.

Orange Peel Fungus (Aleuria aurantia)

Tawny Grisette (Amanita fulva)

I have been going round in circles trying to name this next species but a bruise test on the pore surface left a brown thumb mark. I think it might be a Penny Bun (Boletus edulis)

Wood Blewit (Lepista nuda)

Yellow Stagshorn (Calocera viscosa)

White Coral Fungus (Clavulina cristata)

Candle-snuff Fungus (Xylaria hypoxylon)

A Woodland Floor in Autumn

Now that we are into late Autumn, a walk in my local woods has become rather soggy underfoot and the sight and smell of decay is evident through the understorey.

Although there is still a chance of seeing late season insects on any remaining sunny days, new life is emerging through the damp leaf litter of the woodland floor.

Minotaur Beetle (Typhaeus typhoeus) (male) 

Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria)

I photographed this specimen on three consecutive days.

The Blusher (Amanita rubescens)

False Death Cap (Amanita citrina)

Stump Puffball (Lycoperdon pyriforme)