Friday 23 November 2012

Of Foliose Lichens and Sheep.

Following yesterday's deluge (22 November) the sun really got to work today and I couldn't resist the temptation to visit the Pocket Park. Quite a number of insects were about, with winter gnats being prominent, plus a number of Calliphorids ("blow flies"). However my attention was caught by a neat lichen on a hawthorn twig. It was a specimen of Ramalina farinacea, a species I recorded from the same site about four years ago.



                                                             
Continuing my stroll, I paused to examine a greenbottle fly on a fence, and soon found that I had an audience. Perhaps the ram had heard me mutter the word Ramalina to myself (Don't be silly, Tony). The sheep were on a piece of land adjacent to the burial ground, making a very good job of controlling the vegetation...and their poo may attract interesting beetles too

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