Very mixed bag

The 14-spot ladybird is very often overlooked: it's much smaller than the common 7-spot, being roughly the same size as a match head (and the same size as the 10-spot).

My last blog entry showed Taphrina alni, a fungus that alters the growth pattern of Alder cones. The Taphrina family is quite large and appears on different trees, always distorting leaves or cones in order to increase the spore-bearing surface area. As soon as I saw this curled leaf-edge on Hawthorn, Taphrina came to the front of my mind, and a quick look at the references revealed Taphrina crataegi:

No previous Irish records.

This is the time of year to examine the flowers of rushes for the tiny larval cases of the Coleophora micromoths:

The fungal season has certainly arrived. I think I'll visit Ards on Sunday. This is the very common Bolbitius vitellinus:

Staying with fungi, this is the very rare Suillus flavidus which I first recorded for Ireland about 5 years ago. It's a Pine associate, and is never found more than a few metres away from its tree:
It looks rather like a smaller and paler version of Slippery Jack (which can often be found close to it, since that is also a Pine associate). The two main identification features are the red jelly ring:
And the large angular spore tubes:
It would be worth checking your Pine trees to see if you can find it.

This Rosy Rustic came to light:
It's very common, presumably due to its very wide range of larval foodplants.

After the deluge

We've had a long spell of atrocious weather, and when it hasn't been raining the light has been filthy. It has to be good for something....

A pair of Sulphur Tuft - Hypholoma fasciculare:


A fascinatingly-shaped Deceiver - Laccaria laccata:


The (always) bizarrely-shaped Helvella lacunosa:


And what I learned as Bolbitius vitellinus, although I know it has changed its name recently:

Murder most foul

I've been stalking a female ichneumonid laying eggs in larvae inside Knapweed seedheads for a couple of days.

First, she explores the seedheads to find one that is occuped - usually by fly larvae, such as picture-wing flies:

Then she flips the ovipositor out of its sheath (note that the sheath splits along its length):


Then we have the repeated act of positioning the ovipositor and laying the egg:


This process is carried out for a minute or so, then she moves on to explore other flower heads.

I stapled together a few photographs of the process into a video of sorts:




Here's a different species exploring Creeping Thistle:


The fungal season has started, so I'll be making some trips to older woodland very soon. This is what I've always known as Bolbitius vitellinus, but I seem to remember its name changed in the last year or two.

Another new micromoth: Acleris emargana, which is a feeder on Salix sp.

Identification updated 13/9/2011