Category: David

Wood tiger moth resting on the underside of a leaf, and possibly the same individual, on the inside of the window of a shed.

Flowering reed flowers, looking tiny on the top of the tall stem of the plant. These were in the marshy area of Sandwell Valley’s Forge Mill Pool.

Slim carrion crow (perhaps a youngster) prowling round on the canal bank near Dimmingsdale.

Tortoiseshell butterfly sunning itself on thistle flowers which were just about to start opening.

Destroying angels are a mushroom which live up to their name. Beautiful to look at, but deadly to eat. Also possible to confuse them with perfectly edible species: these were almost pure white, but they are often browner. Then they look a little like the field mushroom (the wild version of the common or garden supermarket mushroom).

Just below ground level, destroying angels have a volva, a sac that the fruiting body is growing out of.

These specimens had been imported into Northycote Farm in a batch of wood mulch. They were photographed just before they were removed for safety by farm manager Ian Nicholls – it’s his hand holding the one toadstool with a slight brown colour to the cap.

CORRECTION: identified by Lukas Large as rose-gilled grisettes

Damsons, or possibly plums, on a tree growing wild, unripely green and just beginning the series of colour changes marking ripening.