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David

Autumn fungi flush: Himley Plantation

Stinking dapperling

This year’s autumn fungi flush is now well under way. Here a sample of the species I noticed on a fairly quick visit to the Woodland Trust property at Himley Plantation.

There were probably hundreds of charcoal burners standing, despite someone trying to stomp as many as possible. The other species were all in smaller numbers.

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David

Tiny spider in its web: orchard orbweaver

Tiny spider in its web: orchard orbweaver

Orchard webweaver spider (Leucauge venusta) near the centre of its near-horizontal web.

Tiny spider in its web: orchard orbweaver

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David

Green shield bug – they really are common

Green shield bug - they really are common

Green shield bugs are the commonest of the shield bugs. Perhaps it’s the different routines of life in a pandemic, but I’ve seen many more than usual this year.

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David

Next year’s hazel catkins already

Next year's hazel catkins already

Summer’s just beginning to give way to autumn, but already the first growth of next year’s catkins are begining to grow on some hazel bushes. These will be pumping out their pollen come January.

Next year's hazel catkins already

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David

Charcoal burner mushrooms, Himley Plantation

Charcoal burner mushrooms, Himley Plantation

Charcoal burner russulas, common autumn woodland mushrooms, growing in their hundreds in the Woodland Trust’s Himley Plantation.

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David

Seed-heads remaining, garden poppies

Seed-heads remaining, garden poppies

Drying remains of this year’s garden poppies. The “pepperpat” seed heads with the holes cirlcing the rim where the seeds will be blown out to be scattered as the stems bend in winds.

Seed-heads remaining, garden poppies