David Gibbs Entomology and Natural History

These blogs are likely to be rather random reports of any interesting days out as more important commitments allow.

18 April 2010 was the first meeting of the Avon Lower Plants Group, an entirely informal group interested in Bryophytes and Lichens. Six of us met on a warm, sunny morning to explore this brown field site.

I am very new to these organisms, inspired to take an interest by the recent publication of the new BBS field guide.

Soon came across a new one for me Brachythecium albicans.

A little later we came across large amounts of the superficially very similar Homalothecium lutescens.

Both these are pleurocarp mosses, an example of an arocarp is Orthotrichum anomalum, this one on an old piece of concrete.

Lichens were numerous, with up to half a dozen species noted on a single small stone. One of the most interesting was Peltigera rufescens which proved abundant.

Of insects best find was Sehirus bicolor, a very attractive bug.

Also Whitethroat, that would not let me photograph it, and this more obliging Lesser Whitethroat.