Mini Fungi etc at Paxton

Looking on wet logs etc revealed quite a few small fungi species at Paxton today, lots of Collembolids scurrying around and one possible slime mould of a leaf stem (very very small subject!!) plus a yellow slime mould mycelium on a wet log.

 

Paxton's Small Fungi and Slime Moulds

 Very enjoyable walk with Ann and Mike at Paxton on a Slime mould hunt, which proved successful with one definite species and possibly a second one. Ann found an extensive colony of the green Elf Cup. Amazing how many small creatures also lived on rotting logs including Collembolids as on the first image, the appropriately named Winter Moth and Centipedes. When we looked hard at the mossy areas ther were small toadstools still present. Light was poor and images handheld so not great quality!

Toft Garden - Life on the Edge

 Sitting under my small oak tree (now about 25 years old), I became aware of how many small life forms exist on the leaves and also on the logs piled up nearby. First, a very small leafhopper (Ribautiana debilis), then a small booklouse family insect (Ectopsocus petersi) and a Pea gall caused by a small parasitic wasp. The logs are alive with life including Collembolid species and lots of fungi and lichens