Fungi in Beatons Wood

Fungi in Beatons Wood

The mild damp weather has been perfect for fungi this year. It’s also perfect for slugs, who love eating the newly emerging fungi! Despite this, there are still plenty to see, of all shapes and sizes. Early autumn sees the Parasols popping up - the largest found this year was a massive sixteen inches in diameter. They have favourite patches in the woodland and can also be found in the wildflower meadow. Later on, we find Shaggy and Slender Parasols too.

Everyone’s favourite fairytale fungi, the Fly Agaric, grows with birch trees. They seem to be favourites of the slugs too - we found several button-sized ones, but they were munched before opening out fully.

There are a huge variety of puffballs, clubs, brackets, bonnets, lumps and crusts too. They thrive on the wide range of material available - living and dead wood, twigs, leaves, bramble stems, stumps, even individual acorn cups. Beatons Wood, while accessible along the wide paths, has many areas that lie undisturbed, and plenty of dead wood that is not tidied up, which makes a great habitat for the fungi to thrive. They in turn feed a host of invertebrates (not just slugs) who form a crucial part of the woodland food web. Favourites this year included the Crystal Brain, Amethyst Deceiver, Hare’s Ear and Flaming Scalycap - this last on the old cedar stump in The Millennium Avenue. Sarah Wilesmith www.cherrywoodadventures.co.uk

This message was added on Sunday 3rd November 2024

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