Some interesting lichens on the veteran Oaks at Helmingham Hall, Suffolk yesterday. 1/3

Surprise discovery in the garden today. This is an overwintering female European Paper Wasp (Polistes dominula). Formerly considered a vagrant species in the UK. It now appears to have scattered breeding populations across south-eastern England. #wasps @kentfieldclub.bsky.social

Couple of interesting finds walking through Orlestone Forest in Kent. The first is Little Shaggy-moss (Rhytidiadelphus loreus) a very common species in the west of the UK but rather rare in Kent. The second is the lichen Pertusaria pertusa, a common epiphyte found on smooth and rough bark. 1/2

Announcing another chance to learn #lichens online! My next 'Lichens for Beginners' course starts in January. Perfect for anyone just discovering these unique and beautiful life-forms. All you need to know to understand lichens and identify common species. Join me! aspenecology.com/lichens-for-...

A bit late but White Dogwood (Cornus alba) planted along the side of a road. Very similar to Red-osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) except the stone of the fruit is longer than wide and the leaves are shortly acuminate to acute. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social @suffolk-nats1929.bsky.social

A new one for me last month. White Spindles (Clavaria fragilis) growing in a Low Weald meadow. @kentfieldclub.bsky.social #grasslandfungi

Came across this interesting Cotoneaster on the outskirts of Norwich today. Could this be Cotoneaster dammeri? @jo-the-botanist.bsky.social @bramblebotanist.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social #Cotoneaster

Nicotiana sylvestris growing as a pavement weed in Norwich this week. First record for either Norfolk vice county. Species on the increase? @trevorthebotanist.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social #wildflowerhour #Norfolk

New sawfly larva for me the other day. Have a suspicion this might be a Wild Rose Fusehorn (Arge ochropus). Any ideas @andymus.bsky.social #sawflies #insects

Something funky going on here! Small Scabious with a series of unified stems that collectively produced a solitary flowerhead, that then split out into several solitary stems again, each with its own terminal flowerhead... must be the beer in Norfolk!

Double whammy while on holiday in New England. Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) on knotweed (Reynoutria sp.). Both are non-native species in the northeastern US. The Japanese beetle first arrived in the US on plants from Japan as part of 1916 World’s Fair. #invasiveinsects #invasiveplants (1/4)

Set a dozen batologists free in Broadland & rightly anticipate a few interesting bramble records.. not a new-to-GB waterlily. Nymphaea candida has small flowers with erect petals, filaments wider than anthers & concave stigmatic disc. Leaves with anastomosing veins at edges. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Oh dear @nationaltrust.org.uk how have you got this so terribly wrong. Please contact me directly if you want to create a wildflower meadow & not an annual cornfield area. @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social

Interesting find for #wildflowerhour. Found Sedum pallidum naturalised in mown grassland in Kent. New to Kent (either vice county) and eighth record on the BSBI DDb. #Kent #Sedum #BSBI @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @kentfieldclub.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Interesting bramble growing in scrub next to some ancient woodland in Kent at the weekend. Bit of a bramble novice but perhaps Series Glandulosi @bramblebotanist.bsky.social? (1/2)

Chaenotheca hispidula, a really smart pinhead lichen at Houghton Park today. Immersed thallus, greeny yellow pruinose base to fruiting head, and relatively large globose spores. First county record since 1974.

Came across this Usnea on a broken Oak twig in some secondary woodland bordering a disused sand quarry in Kent. Think it might be Usnea subfloridana. (1/2)

Two beetles while out and about today. A female black-headed cardinal beetle (Pyrochroa coccinea) and a lesser stag beetle larva (Dorcus parallelipipedus). @colsocbi.bsky.social @kentfieldclub.bsky.social #beetle

Common vetch (Vicia sativa ssp. nigra) and heath speedwell (Veronica officinalis). #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social @kentfieldclub.bsky.social

A great few day pointing at special Breckland plants with Wilts Bot Soc: Military Orchid Orchis militaris, Purple Milk-Vetch Astragalus danicus, Breckland Birthwort Aristolochia hirta and Rare Spring Sedge Carex ericetorum #wildflowerhour

New plant for me growing at the end of my street. Turns out it’s also new to Suffolk (either vice county)! Hirsute Garlic (Allium trifolatium) can be separated from the closely related species by hairs at edge of leaves, tepals tinged pink and yellow anthers. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Any thoughts on this Iris? @jo-the-botanist.bsky.social @bramblebotanist.bsky.social (1/2).

Checked the rose in my garden today and, unfortunately or fortunately depending on your view, the rose has been colonised by the rose aphid (Macrosiphum rosae). In the photo, there are immature green apterae and a mature red alatae.

I'm finding it hard to see why this #lichen on sallow trunk in Earsham, Norfolk, England, isn't Punctelia borreri, except it would be first record for Norfolk, and only fourth for East Anglia. 'Starry-sky' look from scattered punctiform pseudocyphellae, soralia concentrated in thallus centre… 1/2

A rather late post, but wallflower living up to its name growing on the Roman wall in Colchester. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Dendrographa decolorans - scratching yellow-orange - on old Quercus robur in St Leonard's Forest SSSI near Horsham, West Sussex; former medieval royal hunting forest, much of which has been destroyed by coniferisation. The ghyll is good for Atlantic bryophytes.

Red and Green. A "cave" in the bend of Sheepwash Ghyll, in St Leonard's SSSI, a High Weald Ghyll Wood, where it seems that iron from iron ore (siderite, FeCO3) deposits in wealden clay, has formed a sticky colloid, staining the Pellia species red.

Scilla sp. naturalised in my local area #wildflowerhour (1/2)

Excited to lead four #lichen walks in Kensington Gardens this month for The Royal Parks! Discover why lichens are returning to London centre after many decades, understand their vital importance for ecology and wildlife, and learn to identify common species. www.royalparks.org.uk/events/learn...

Out with @robyaxley.bsky.social in Norfolk over the weekend and came across a mystery Usnea. After taking a piece home and seeking determination from a national expert, can confirm the first record of Usnea esperantiana for VC28 & for Norfolk as a whole. #LichenGBI @norfolknats.bsky.social

Signs of spring for #WildFlowerHour. Sweet violet (Viola odorata) coming into flower in my local patch. The deep violet corolla and spur in combination with lateral petals with tufts of hairs towards inner end likely this specimen V. odorata var. odorata.

The @norfolknats.bsky.social species guide to the Psyllids of Norfolk has now been updated with 2024 data (251 records of 32 species - thanks to all who have submitted records). There are also new photos for Cacopsylla visci & Trioza chenopodii. norfolknaturalists.org.uk/wp/wp-conten...

Minute Pouncewort (Myriocoleopsis minutissima) when out in Kent today. Clearly identified by the 5-pointed star like shape of the emerging perianths. Formerly a species restricted to southern and coastal areas, it has dramatically increased its range within the UK since the 1990s.

Over past 30 yrs, this former silting area has developed a rich flora, resembling fixed-dune grassland. This has developed entirely through natural regeneration but some species, esp orchids, now 📉. Small-scale turf removal & scarification is being trialled to 'reset' early successional conditions.

Field and lab notes for R reductum now available! If you find #lichens that look like this, particularly on pebbles, chances are it's R reductum: Britain's most common and widespread Rhizocarpon. But take care still to rule out similar species. See notes for help! aspenecology.com/rhizocarpon-...

Continued. Diploicia canescens (K+ yellow) and potentially Diplotomma alboatrum. (2/2)

More churchyard lichens today. Lecanora soralifera and Porpidia tuberculosa. (1/2)

Selection of mosses and a lichen while out today at Monks Wood NNR with the Cambridgeshire Bryological Group. Flat Neckera (Neckera complanata), Rambling Tail-moss (Anomodon viticulosus) and a Pertusaria sp. lichen which is most likely to be P. pertusa. #mosses #bryophytes #LichenGBI

Next two more tricky. Perhaps first a Lecanora sp. K+ yellow? Could be L. campestris. The second potentially one of the Flavoplaca (Caloplaca) citrina s.l group? Appears to be K+ orange-red. Any thoughts? @robyaxley.bsky.social @aspenecology.com (2/2)

Been out looking at lichens in a local churchyard today. Below are what I think are Variospora (Caloplaca) flavescens and Melanelixia fuliginosa. (1/2)

New learning opportunity! I'm planning to teach online beginner #lichen microscopy course. Six sessions covering all basic microscope technique for lichens. Live on-screen demonstration, discussion, Q&A. No microscope experience required. Early March start. Join me! aspenecology.com/beginner-lic...

Out on Wilbury Hill today. Came across this dog lichen. Think it might be Peltigera didactyla. As specimen was tomentose, thallus was lacking soredia or isidia, apothecia were longer than broad and thallus not bullate. Any thoughts at @northernhills.bsky.social? #lichenGBI

Inspired by @aspenecology.com found what I think is Parmelia saxatilis s. lat along with what I think are Phaeophyscia orbicularis and Parmotrema perlatum. Unfortunately not found in East Anglia.

For #MushroomMonday, what I think must be a Parrot Waxcap in Doddington Churchyard today. I wish nature would stop reminding me what's happening to the climate.

Two lichens growing on an apple tree today. I think Physcia aipolia and a Candelaria sp. probably C. concolor.

Greasewort (Aneura pinguis) found out and about this week.

Cladonia furcata subsp furcata at Arichonan, NR79/VC101 Kintyre, Scotland. Common species of 'reindeer #lichen' in Britain. Distinctive smooth, tall, forked podetia. New field notes to help avoid confusion with other reindeer lichens, especially C rangiformis! See aspenecology.com/cladonia-fur....

Columbian water-meal (Wolffia columbiana) was found new to Britain on the Pevensey Levels in 2021. It was found in Kent the same year. The plant in the photo is from Romney Marsh (in 2023) where searches of previous W. arrhiza sites found only W. columbiana.

After seeing a few recent posts about #arableplants, their origin, and #localnaturerecovery, here’s a chain on arable plant conservation management. I cover this in more detail in my book on Ranscombe Farm Reserve www.kentfieldclub.org.uk/ranscombe-st.... 1/10

Cladonia rangiformis growing in abundance on the verges of Broadland Business Park on the edge of Norwich. Many thanks @robyaxley.bsky.social for confirming. @norfolknats.bsky.social