Toothed Crust Fungus

A toothed crust fungus, probably Steccherinum ochraceum, growing on a fallen birch twig.

Specimen collected in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK on 2020-01-25.

Gall Wasp

A gall wasp of species Diastrophus rubi (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) which today (2020-01-04) emerged from the bramble gall that I collected in Thames Valley Park on 2019-08-26 (see here for a picture of the gall).

Identification based on the gall key of Redfern and Shirley, 2011.

Earthstar Fungus

A rather old fruiting body of an earthstar fungus, probably Geastrum triplex.

Seen under a beech hedge on Addington Road, Reading, UK on 2019-12-28.

Ephydrid Fly

A male Hydrellia griseola (Diptera: Ephydridae) swept from long grass. The larvae mine the leaves of various grasses and other plants (see the species' pages at UK Fly Mines and Plant Miners of Europe).

Identified using the unpublished key of Drake, 2006 (updated in 2013).

Specimen taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK on 2019-12-25.

Split Gill Fungus

What I think are youngish fruiting bodies of split gill fungus, Schizophyllum commune.

Mycoweb has some good images of young fruiting bodies here.

I took the following specimens which show the characteristic split gill:

These yielded the following spores (magnification x600, field width 86um):

These are about 5 x 1.5um which is rather longer than the 3-4 x 1-1.5µ given at MushroomExpert.com but they also state "sometimes reported as larger: 5.5-7 x 2-2.5µ".

Specimens taken in The Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK on 2019-11-30.