Llangennith Burrows

A few photos from the 6th November:

Burry Holms viewed from Spaniard Rocks, with Worms Head in the background

 28 plants of Sea Stock Matthiola sinuata were counted, a plant

which seems to have increased in recent years at this site.

A less welcome plant also on the increase is Sea Buckthorn Hippophae 
rhamnoides, which has taken over quite large areas of Llangennith Burrows

Leaf mines of the agromyzid fly Agromyza abiens 

on Hound's-tongue Cynoglossum officinale. 

A confiding Kestrel Falco tinnunculus was hunting 
beetles from a fence near the car park.

Western Conifer Seed Bug

I found this Western Conifer Seed Bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis, on a wall in central Swansea today. Although a non-native species it's certainly a large and striking bug.

Once I'd got it home for a photo, it repeatedly insisted on flying onto, and posing on, a leftover jacket potato!

Provosional identification of Tricholoma focale in Glamorgan

Tricholoma (focale?) in Pine and Larch wood, Rhigos, 13/11/16)

I'm hoping that someone who is familiar with Tricholoma, and particularly this species, can help confirm this record (or otherwise). The fruiting bodies are quite large (caps up to 10cm in diameter), and they were growing on a reclaimed coal tip under Pines and Larch (and some Grey Willow and Birch). I couldn't detect any smell from the fresh fruiting bodies. Notably there is a prominent ring on the stipe and the white spores are rather small (4.0 -5.0 microns). The youngest fruiting body in the photo above shows the ring unfolding beneath the expanding cap. Only a few species of Tricholoma have rings on their stipes, e.g T. cingulatum (which it isn't) and those in the matsutake group (e.g. T. matsutake, which has a very noticeable sweet smell). Although T. focale is widespread in Europe it is not common. In Britain it is virtually confined to Scotland although I notice that the NBN distribution map includes one location in the south of England.

The substrate in this wood is clearly nutrient poor and the field layer is carpeted in Cladonia lichens in places. There is quite a diverse fungal community here which included conspicuous amounts of Mycena cinerella, Tricholoma scalpturatum, Inocybe geophylla, Collybia butyracea and Cortinarius brunneus. The wood also has the largest population of Common Wintergreen (Pyrola minor) that I have ever encountered in Britain. I suspect that the Wintergreen here is linked via mycorrhiza to Tricholoma scalpturatum, which is present in huge amounts.

Craneflies

I hope they will download big enough to read, any problems please let me know in the comments!

Enjoy!

oxwich sunday

after an abortive morning at Mewslade/Middleton yesterday and a report of a fantastic catch of 9 Yellow Browed Warblers at Oxwich, today's stroll was a no brainer. The wife and I walked across the marsh, down to the river mouth and back to the steep hill through the woods listening out for Tit flocks, diddly squat, total silence. Back at the car, parked at the end of garden lane the sunday paper allowed me 30 mins in the lane where I found a Tit flock consisting of one Great Tit and one Yellow Browed Warbler. Couldn't get a picture sadly nor see if it was ringed in the very brief but good view. Letting you know in case you might feel it's worth a look, seems like they might hang around this habitat if they need to fill up before moving on, if Kenfig is anything to go by.

Sycamore White Spot

White Spot on Sycamore, Rheola

Sycamore White Spot is a fungal disease caused by the Hyphomycete, Cristulariella depraedans. It becomes evident in late summer and autumn and often brings about a premature defoliation of Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatinus). It is rarely mentioned or illustrated in books on fungi, although Tar Spot of Sycamore (Rhytisma cerium) which causes black blotches on Sycamore leaves often is. The white-ish or pale buff spots give the leaves an attractive pearlescent appearance from a distance. Close inspection of the upper surface of the leaves shows how the fungus eats away at the superficial layer of leaf cells (the epidermis) to reveal the vascular network below.

Cristulariella depraedans colonies on upper surface of Sycamore leaf

From below, the characteristic dark border around the fungal colonies is clear to see.

Cristulariella depraedans colonies observed from lower surface of Sycamore leaf

Sycamore White Spot seems to be very common this year. Every Sycamore I looked at today in Rheola was infected with C. depraedans, while none had any Tar Spot infections. Perhaps the very humid summer we've had in South Wales this year has provided ideal conditions. It will be interesting to know if others have noticed an increase in the incidence of this easily recognised fungal disease.

Garden beetles

Three plastic cup pitfall traps left overnight in the garden last night produced three species of carabid beetle and two harvestmen.

Nebria brevicollis & Synuchus vivalis

Pterostichus madidus

Odiellus spinosus

A Chinese Stowaway - a mystery mugwort.

Yesterday (14/8) evening, I visited the North Dock dunes LNR on the north shore of the Burry Inlet, Llanelli to look for moths at dusk. As part of that activity, I was targeting (ie `beating` and `sweeping`) various plants which I know have micro-moths associated with them - tansy, sea campion, marjoram etc. I also looked at stands of common mugwort Artemisia vulgaris, which has a particularly attractive tortricid associate that I`d already recently recorded at nearby Machynys.

Looking through the pathside vegetation on the saltmarsh edge of the main track that goes along the whole length of the dune spit on its eastern side, I noticed a very tall plant (approaching 6ft) which, from afar, I did n`t recognise. 

        Above: the mystery Artemisia standing proud of surrounding vegetation.

Upon approaching it, I immediately thought `mugwort again` but I then also noticed that the leaves were very linear indeed. Thinking that this was unusual, I collected a few leaves to compare with common mugwort which, conveniently, grows on the other (duneward) side of the path and they were indeed noticeably different.

                Above: typical leaves of the mystery Artemisia (left)  and A. vulgaris.

Driving away from the site, I vaguely remembered that there was an alien mugwort called Artemisia `verlot-something` (I could n`t remember what it was exactly). At home, it  seemed that it was possibly Artemisia verlotiorum `Chinese mugwort`. However, further inspection suggested that it did not quite `fit` that species, with some characteristics being intermediate. `Googling to see if hybrids existed between vulgaris and verlotiorum I came across several references including the useful paper in Watsonia 23:139-147, (2000).

I wonder if it possibly may be - but I`m not completely convinced - the hybrid A. wurzellii? Incidentally, this paper comments that `there is no convincing evidence that the hybrid arose in situ` [at any of the sites where it was recorded]. I have collected material which I`ll pass on to Richard Pryce, the Carmarthenshire BSBI Recorder for his `processing`.

                                       Above: another view of the problem plant.

The tongue-in-cheek `stowaway` element in the title alludes to its possible origin at this site. The dune spit is actually developed on a foundation of dumped copper slag from an 18th-19th Century nearby copperworks, augmented (or preceded) by loads of ship ballast from the early days of the port of Llanelly`s trade (the old anglicised spelling of Llanelli as used in that period). About 18 months ago, there was much work undertaken to strengthen the seaward side of this dune spit and, to allow access by large lorries and earth-moving vehicles, the track was widened, disturbing the copper slag/ballast core in the process. Possibly, the plant originated from long-buried seed or was brought it by the large lorries and other vehicles from elsewhere?

I`m not sure about the true identity of the above plant but it is distinctive and differs from A. vulgaris which frequently grows elsewhere at this site. Perhaps it is just well grown because of its position on the damper uppermost part of the saltmarsh transition - but the leaves are consistently narrower. I need to check out other plants of A. vulgaris growing on richer soil elsewhere in case I`ve been `misled` into a botanical `wild goose chase` by the broader leaves of plants of this species on the dunes. Hopefully, we`ll find out in due course.
The grid ref of the plant (obtained from `find a grid reference` where I estimate it was on an aerial photo - so it may not be 100% accurate) is SS49833 99022.

Amazon Wildlife

Pale Galigale (Cyperus eragrostis) in dry pond bed along Amazon Road

The new Amazon Road which connects with the recycling plant near Elba Crescent has some interesting man-made habitats which include a small pond, grasslands and disturbed ground. I have watched the development of the vegetation around the pond for the last few years. It dries up every summer and last summer the muddy floor had a large population of Red Goosefoot (Chenopodium rubrum). There was also a small patch of  Pale Galingale (Cyperus eragrostis), an attractive member of the sedge family that likes to grow in places that are flooded in winter and dry up in summer. This year there was no sign of the Red Goosefoot, but Pale Galingale is now dominating a large area of the pond. Pale Galingale is an alien in the British Flora, first recorded in the wild on Guernsey just over a hundred years ago. It is remarkable that this tropical, American species is now turning up in suitable habitats all over South Wales and is surely responding to climate change.

Several large populations of Yellow Bartsia (Parentucellia viscosa) occur in suitable places along Amazon Road. This is a designated Scarce Plant Species in the British Flora and a Biodiversity Action Plan species in Neath Port Talbot. It has been known from the Jersey Marine area for over 50 years but it has benefited greatly from the recent creation of open mosaic habitats.

Yellow Bartsia (Parentucellia viscosa) in open mosaic habitat along Amazon  Road

A few years ago Barry Stewart found some Oak-leaved Goosefoot (Chenopodium glaucum) in disturbed habitat around Swansea Docks. This very scarce achaeophyte has only been recorded a few times in Glamorgan (or anywhere else in Wales) and Barry's excellent record was the first for a long time. So I was glad to see it growing on some disturbed, weedy ground near the Amazon site with a number of other archaeophytes such as Black Nightshade (Solanum nigrum) and Fat Hen (Chenopodium album). Oak-leaved Goosefoot may not win any prizes in a beauty contest, but it has  a distinct appearance with its small, oak-like leaves which are mealy-grey underneath. It's good to know that these archaeophytes are still able to survive in disturbed ephemeral habitats in our area.

Oak-leaved Goosefoot (Chenopodium glaucum) in waste ground near Amazon

Leaves Oak-leaved Goosefoot

Before the Jersey Marine Amazon site was cleared for construction, there was a large area of birch/willow woodland which supported a rich community of fungi, thriving colonies of Common Wintergreen (Pyrola minor) and one of the largest populations of Yellow Bird's-nest (Monotropa hypopitys) that I have ever seen (hundreds of plants). A small colony of Common Wintergreen survives, but the rest has gone. The apparent loss of Yellow Bird's Nest ( a UK Biodiversity Action Plan Species) here is lamentable. Nature moves on!

Hare's-tail at Port Eynon

Hare's-tail growing abundantly on the dunes at Port Eynon (SS469851) 4th June 2007

Charles' recent discovery of Annual Beard-grass Polypogon monspeliensis near Crynant reminded me of my encounter with the superficially similar Hare's-tail Lagurus ovatus at Port Eynon back in 2007. The species was growing in abundance through one section of dunes with many thousands of plants, and although I've been back to the site in more recent times (casual visits rather than dedicated searches) I've failed to find it since. The Crynant Annual Beard-grass and the Port Eynon Hare's-tail are the only records we have of these attractive casuals in West Glamorgan.

Annual Beard-grass

Annual Beard-grass (Polypogon monspeliensis) in roadside verge, Crynant

Recently I came across this attractive grass in a disturbed roadside verge near Crynant. Annual Beard-grass (Polypogon monspeliensis) is a south western European species which reaches its northern limit as a native species in south east England, where it grows on coastal grazing marshes. However, it also occurs sporadically as a casual alien species on disturbed (waste) ground and rubbish tips further west in Britain and as far north as Scotland. It is quite rare in Wales, but it has appeared in the docklands of Newport and Barry in the past. Outside its native range it probably originates as a bird seed alien or garden escape. It also occurs as an alien in North America where it is sometimes called Rabbit's-foot Grass and has pest status. The plants shown here were growing with a respectable cohort of weedy species such as Scented Mayweed (Matricaria recutita), Spear-leaved Orache (Atriplex prostrata), Lesser Swine-cress (Coronopus didymus), Shepherd's Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), Redshank (Persicaria maculosa), Hoary Mustard (Hirschfeldia incana) and others. Beard-grass is so named because of the long awns that are so conspicuous in its inflorescence,

 Inflorescences of Annual Beard-grass (Polypogon monspeliensis) with long, bristly awns

A few more bugs for the BAY-less!

Sawflies

Another one for any bug lovers who don't get the BAY magazine.

Fungus at Prior's Wood

I could hardly miss this striking fungus growing on a dying oak yesterday. About 8 inches wide. Can someone give me a name for it please as I'm afraid I don't have any fungi books. Thanks.

Warty Cavalier

Melanoleuca verrucipes, Glantawe Riverside Park

There's a very interesting suite of fungi that grow on wood-chip (and mulch), many of which are recent additions to the British fungal 'flora'. I've already posted photos of Agrocybe rivulosa (21/1013) which was first recorded in Britain in 2004 and is now quite widespread. The Warty Cavalier (also called Warty Knight) shown here was growing on a wood-chip pile in Glantawe Riverside Park, near Pontardawe. It's new to me and possibly a first record for Wales - I'm sure somebody will know.  It was first identified in Britain in 2000.

Melanoleuca species are often a bit of a nightmare to identify, but this one is relatively easy. It looks a bit like a mushroom, but the slightly decurrent gills are white and remain white (the spores are white) and are not covered in a veil when immature. Mushroom gills go black at maturity when they produce millions of black spores. Also, unlike a mushroom, Warty Cavalier doesn't have a ring on the stipe, but look for the splattering of black scales (see photo below), a very useful distinguishing feature.

Black scales on stipe of Melanoleuca verrucipes

just a couple of local shots. 2 grasshopper warblers holding territory near Grovesend only a few hundred metres apart.
the second shot is one of two Short eared owls which are still around Llanrhidian marsh showing well upto mid morning

Andrena labiata Red-Girdled Mining Bee

In my post about Andrena rosae of 18th April I mentioned another confusion species, Andrena labiata, which might not occur on Gower.................... There are several squares with records on NBN gateway. Next day I found one and also remember putting one on here many years ago as a Sphecodes and being corrected by some kind person. I have never looked again at the picture of this bee, from Parkmill, to check. I found this species at Bovehill reserve on north-west Gower and because it was a male it had a white face as you can see:

It is about half the size of rosae and has a different colour and pattern of red:

The face of rosae looks like this, without white and with much longer mandibles:

Can't do much in this arctic cold so here's hoping it warms up again next week when I will continue. At least I can catch up with some jobs including this posting.

Weird Weed

On an outing to Oxwich in January I found a strange-looking piece of seaweed that went on to baffle all my phycologically-inclined friends. It somewhat resembled Mastocarpus stellatus but the perfect spheres on stalks did not match the more irregularly shaped and unstalked structures of M. stellatus. It has now been identified as Calliblepharis ciliata / Eyelash weed thanks to Kate Lock and Francis Bunker. Fantastic little weed! 

Andrena rosae, worth keeping an eye out for

Bees, obviously the things of the moment, like number 18 buses, none for ages and then three posts come at once. Isabella, I loved your article in the Bay magazine (all of them actually!), well worth spreading as widely as possible. Anyway with a risk of being boring, please read on.....

Andrena rosae male:

Continuing with the distinctive, relatively easy to ID bee theme, when I found one of these last year on Pwll Du head at Blackthorn I was quite excited. Steven Falk's book says very rare but there was a dot for it in Gower on NBN gateway if I remember correctly. It's hard to see but there are dots for north Devon and west Wales in Falk's book so it was one of my little jobs this year to look. Last week I saw it at Mumbles by the big apple at Alexanders, at Pennard (this picture) at Willow blossom and above Deep Slade at Blackthorn. No sign between Three Cliffs and Oxwich but the wind had turned much colder by saturday. It is easy to identify if you don't mix it up with a Sphecodes:

Look at the long hair and jaws, of this male rosae, and the spur coming off the cheek at the base of the jaw (double click on the upper image to  make it fill the screen). The female will not have these long jaws. The other red marked Andrena is labiata ( male has a white marked face) and I'm not sure that occurs here.......... There is another bee with markings where the reddish is on this one but it is brown there instead of rose and this is Andrena trimmerana and I have found this in the same places.

I'd be delighted to hear from anyone who thinks they've found it, especially if they have a nice photo. There is a second generation later in the year but there might be some other rare species to confuse it with, always game to give it a go ..................