Category: David

Horse chestnuts are the first native trees to start changing colour this autumn. These were on the Cotwell End LNR.

More trees beginning to go by the lower pool at Sugar Well.

Slimy milkcaps are woodland mushrooms with a viscous cap surface. This was growing under a tree in the garden at Wightwick Manor.

Puffball which was growing right by the side of the road near Bushbury church.

Pedunculate oak acorns have a long stem. The acorns may, as here, themselves be elongated.

Acorns on the other native oak, the sessile oak, have cups much nearer the stem.

St John’s wort: this one in Bantock Park is a variety with more than usually ornamental berries.

Three ladybird larvae which were all within a few feet of each other in someone’s front garden.

They are probably all harlequin ladybirds – a species introduced to control pests, and now a pest which threatens the survival of native ladybird species.