Extremely wet weather and frosty mornings prevented me from doing much foraying since Christmas. I have managed to get out for a bit of exercise round local parks in south Liverpool but even that was difficult as everywhere is so wet and muddy. All the expected species were present such as Flammulina velutipes (Velvet Shank), and Clitocybe nebularis (Clouded...
Cltocybe nebularis (Clouded Agaric) were numerous in the lane alongside Allerton Manor Golf Course. These large fungi grow in extensive rings and can be seen in most wooded areas. The literature describes them as edible but toxic to some people. It never says who might be susceptible or what the toxic effect is. I have never...
December is usually one of the wetter months of the year, as was the case this time with 15 rain-days. Storm ‘Barra’ on 7th-8th produced high winds and heavy showers but was nothing like as damaging as named storm ‘Arwen’ in November.
Pollination is often the incidental consequence of an animal’s activity on a flower. The pollinator is often eating or collecting pollen for its protein and other nutritional characteristics or it is sipping nectar from the flower when pollen grains attach themselves to the its body. When the animal visits another flower for the same reason,...