Fungus

Sent from my iPhoneWhilst working in Millennium Wood yesterday, I came across this colourful fungus growing on a dead branch of a young oak. A member of the jelly fungi, Yellow Brain fungi, (sometimes called Witches Butter, but this in in fact a black fungus) Tremella mesenterica is a common late autumn, early winter fungus.
It feeds on other fungi that are feeding on the dead wood. These fungi are invariably of the genus Peniophora.
The name Tremella is derived from trembling due to the jelly consistency and two words; meso meaning middle and enteron meaning intestine. Therefore, thought to look more like the middle intestines than the brain.
In wet weather it absorbs the rain and swells, whilst in dry weather can remain just a flat orange crusty type fungus. Some jelly fungi can absorb an amazing 63 times their weight in water, sometimes bringing the infected branch from the tree!

Moths

Sent from my iPhoneLast night was 8C so the actinic trap was set in Millennium Wood at 4.30. A quick wander through the 3.75 acres realised 33 winter moth and a chestnut.
Upon returning at 9pm I found 9 winter moth, 5 mottled umber and a satellite either in the trap, outside or on the tree trunk next to the light.
Back home another winter moth to the garden skinner trap.
Photos of 3 mottled umber highlighting differences within this species and a Satellite.

Possible rarely recorded fly in Little Hadham

Back at the beginning of December, I potted one of several flies I found hibernating in the cracks of the bark of a large oak tree. This was close to the portable moth trap I was emptying one evening. They looked unusual, showing yellow on the wings and with a striking yellow marking on the face.
I wrote to the Diptera County Recorder, Malcolm Aldridge, describing my find and have received a letter this morning, requesting photos to confirm identification. He also kindly forwarded the Herts records of this insect. Found at several sites but only on 7 occasions, with the last record being submitted in the Summer of 1994. If it is Mesembrina meridiana, then a good record for Herts.
Couple of photos here. I await confirmation and also for Mr Aldridge to remind me where I found them as I have lost the post it note on which I wrote date and site!! Poor recording on my behalf.

Hoverfly Recording

Sent from my iPhoneI plan to record hoverfly species in 2017 and this began this morning with a solitary Meliscaeva auricollis found in the moth trap. I have joined an online hoverfly recording site and been told this is the 1st record of this species for the year.

Moth Review of the Year: Part 6: December 2016

The final chapter in my review of the moths trapped in 2016. In total 512 species of 9760 moths had been recorded by the end of November. My initial target at the beginning of the year was to find 500 species and record in excess of 10,000 moths.
December started reasonably well, improved during the mid period and concluded with many nights of minus temperatures. However, the 10,000 moth was taken 08.xii.16, a winter moth to actinic light on the local golf course footpath.

Blastobasis lacticolella

Chestnut

Any of these were the 10,000 moth for the year. 

During this period I set the Heath trap at a variety of sites whilst visiting others with head torch and net. The best time was invariably at dusk, when winter moth were on the wing in considerable numbers and then, about an hour after dark, I found it worthwhile checking rosehips and guelder rose berries where Satellite, Chestnuts and an occasional Brick could be found feeding.
On the 2nd a Caloptilia rufipennella came to the actinic trap in Millennium Wood, where I also recorded 64 Winter moth and a Satellite. A visit to several sites on the 6th gave up winter moths and satellites as well as a Chestnut at Pigs Green, whilst on the 8th, 2 Dark chestnuts were taken along Hoecroft Lane.
Winter moth numbers were quite outstanding, with 26 on the 7th, 105 from Millennium Wood on the 9th, 90 from Ash Valley Golf Course on the 13th, 82 from Millennium Wood on the 16th, 36 from Valley Fields (18th) 73 at Millennium Wood (21st) and 79 from the same venue on the 31st.
Only unusual records for the month, along with C. rufipennella was a Blastobasis lacticolella taken to headtorch in Millennium Wood on the 9th and a pleasing record, new for the parish of Ypsolopha ustella that came to the actinic trap set at Pig's Green on the 21st.
On New Year's Eve I set the actinic 15W at Alder Wood and then spent several hours visiting many of the sites I had trapped at over the year. The highlight was coming across a newly born muntjac in Suffyldes Wood where I also took 3 winter moth. Between 4.30 and 7.00pm I visited Millennium Wood, Hadham Hall, Suffyldes Wood, Westland Green, Pig's Green, Chapel Lane and the golf course before returning to empty the trap. Here I found a mottled umber (100th species for Alder Wood) and 14 winter moth either on or in the trap. In total, 130 moths were recorded: 122 Winter moth, 5 Satellite and 3 Mottled umber.

Sprawler

Mottled Umber

Nomophila noctuella

The year ended with a total of 514 species and a record for me of 11,130 moths recorded.

TABLE OF TRAPPING RECORDS:

Site	Tetrad	Times trapped	Species count	New for parish records	Average species per visit
Garden	TL42F	352	382	32	1.08
Westland Green	TL42G	19	98	3	5.15
Chapel Lane	TL42F	18	81	2	4.50
Millennium Wood	TL42K	37	185	10	5.00
Suffyldes Wood	TL42F	24	115	4	4.79
Valley Fields	TL42G	15	88	1	5.86
Pig’s Green	TL42F	18	100	8	5.55
Brick Kiln Hill	TL42F	16	81	0	5.06
Alder Wood	TL42F	15	100	6	6.66
Ash Valley Golf Course	TL42F	11	64	10	5.81
Hoecroft Lane	TL42F	16	72	4	4.50
Little Hadham Place	TL42G	10	65	1	6.5
Hadham Hall	TL42L	8	84	5	9.33
East Wood	TL42Q	2	14	0	7.00

The above results were not part of a scientific study, just random placement whilst I did endeavour to trap each site more than 10 times. Hadham Hall stands out as the "best" site by having an average species count per session of 9.33. Here, permission was not granted to trap at this private site until June, so all visits were during the peak period for numbers. East Wood was visited only twice, once to find Small yellow underwing and then a leaf mining visit in November. 

However, of particular interest is the closeness of most of the averages with, for example, Hoecroft Lane and Suffyldes Wood. These 2 sites are 400 yards apart and made up of neglected hornbeam, ash and hazel.On many dead trees are bramble and ivy and so it can be expected that tallies would be similar. Alder Wood, as well as alder, contains a small conifer plantation and well established beech and is right next to part of Ash Valley GC where D. petrivella and D. sequana were netted during day time sessions. Also, the best site for Marbled white.

The site chosen at Hadham Hall is next to a pond whilst Millennium Wood is a 16 year old plantation of oak, ash, cherry, hazel, dogwood, hornbeam and guelder rose. I am presently volunteer manager of this 3.75 acre site which is used for leisure by the locals and also by the local primary school for their Forest School Initiative. Superb to see the children of all ages using the wood every Wednesday afternoon.

2017 Targets.

In 2017 I am having a change of philosophy and not just targeting large numbers. I have identified 7 or 8 specific sites within the parish that hold a paricular plant or tree that may offer a chance to take rarer moths within Little Hadham. One site selected has a good stand of black poplar whilst another has gorse and a small stand of broom. Letters have been written to the land owners seeking permission to run the Actinic trap and hopefully these requests will be looked upon favourably. I shall continue to trap at Hadham Hall and Millennium Wood but will be looking to achieve 700 species within the parish by the end of the year. The parish total presently stands at 674 species. 

The first big target species will be sloe carpet. Yet to be recorded in Herts but with several sites holding plenty of blackthorn it will be worth trying for. This will require the trap to be set right inside the stand of trees and should also give up good numbers of water carpet. Just need to wait for the blossom.

Finally, wishing all readers and very Happy New Year and I wish you the very best of mothing in 2017.

Satellite