are strong reflectors in this region of the spectrum. If you cover the heads of the males
with sun cream, which absorbs the ultra-violet, the poor chaps never get a mate because
the ladies don't recognise them!
On my lawn, which is actually mainly mosses and small dicot plants but not much by
way of grasses, was more of the pretty little fungus Arrhenia retiruga. It is parasitic on
a range of garden mosses, especially on poor soil, like my lawn. I found it in March
2007, but this time the patch is bigger and with more fruit-bodies, so my husband was
able to take a picture (see plate 3). I have to admit that a year ago in these pages I
mentioned it, but called it Arrhenia spathulata. But I sent some bits to Dr Brian Spooner
at Kew this year and he told me it was A. retiruga. So apologies for getting it wrong last
time.
I had more feedback today from the January issue, where I described a nest of Carder
Bees in our 'lawn' during the previous August. Not only did Peter Harvey name them in
that issue, (without telling me in advance!), but I received a lovely letter from Ken Hoy
who confirmed they were indeed Carder Bees, and much more. He told me that the nest
was almost certainly a vole's nest originally, abandoned by the vole (caught by a
wandering cat or fox? I would have preferred to have the vole!), that these bees had
taken over, as apparently they commonly do. He goes on to comment that if I were to put
down an old piece of corrugated iron or similar in an untidy corner, I would find all sorts
of creatures underneath it as time went by, but I was warned against peeking too often.
Now it is clear that Ken has little idea of what my garden is like, as most of it could well
be described as untidy corners, if not untidy stop. He was even bold enough to say my
garden sounded interesting. We do grow large quantities of early potatoes, early tomatoes
and raspberries (16kg in 2007), and there are a few fruit trees, but most of our garden is
more like a nature reserve. Thank you. Ken, and maybe we should have a general field
meeting in my house and garden next year, so I can add to the already long list of species
of wildlife (flora and fauna) living therein.
Near the end of January I was phoned by Daphne Gilbert, a member who is interested in
all sorts of wildlife including fungi. Daphne was out wandering around the Gunpowder
Park, Sewardstone Road, Chingford, and there were some ponds with lots of small floating
logs from the trees overhanging the water. Daphne noticed that mosses were abundant
on these logs, but then she noticed that one log had red things on it, in the moss. On
closer inspection, by dragging the log nearer but just avoiding falling in, the red growths
were seen to be the Scarlet Elfcup Sarcoscypha austriaca. Daphne alerted a few friends,
some of whom came to have a look, and Brian Ecott took some beautiful photos of the
ones Daphne took to him (see plate 4). All of these people had never seen it before,
partly due, perhaps, that it grows mainly in winter or early spring when not many fungus
hunters are about. Also it is considered quite uncommon, with only about three records
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 56, May 2008
5