Sunday 28 August 2016

The Weird and The Wonderful


 Hi Folks, I thought I would post some of the oddities that I have taken over the summer months. 

First oddity is this fungus called Chicken-of-the-Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus)  This was growing from a gatepost at Moreton, the village where Lawrence of Arabia is buriedIt is edible unless it is growing from a Yew tree because the toxins are absorbed by the fungi from the Yew.  The information I read says it tastes like chicken hence its name.
 

Pine Weevil, like most weevils it is a pest, but they are weird looking, could not make out where its eyes are at first.

 A micro moth, loads of these flying out of grass at Morden Bog.   ID-ing this one would be a bit of a headache I think as they are quite difficult.


There are three large ponds very hidden in some woodlands nr Edmondsham.  They are suppose to be for fishing but I don't think many people visit them as it is quite overgrown and wild now, we have not visited these ponds for eight years.   It is dragonfly and damselfly heaven these ponds, we also saw a Kingfisher flying up and down.   This I believe is the Migrant Hawker Dragonfly.



The middle pond of the three in the woodlands is quite shallow it seems which makes it easy to see the fish.  The pictures I have taken are not brilliant as you cannot get to the edge of the pond.

Not a brilliant picture but you can just about make out the fish and someone I am sure would be able to id them.



This was taken in August 2007, the same pond



4 comments:

Roy Norris said...

The Dragonfly is a Migrant Hawker (male ) I think Lyn.

Richard Pegler said...

I love that fungus, Lin, and the weevil is rather special too!

I concur with Roy, on the ID of the dragon - the location mitigating against the other possibility of Common Hawker. I guess you probably saw this in August or possibly mid to late July - they're one of the later ones to emerge.

Linda Yarrow said...

Thankyou Boys on the id of the dragonfly :-)

David M. Gascoigne, said...

I am always a tad reluctant to try fungi that are claimed to be edible in the guide books, without having an expert with me when I gather them. The consequences of being wrong can be quite dire! When I have tasted wild mushrooms, however, I have always found them thoroughly tasty and delicious.