A lovely Autumn afternoon for a Fungal Foray with our very own expert mycologist, Steve Joul.
We met at 2 pm in the Village Green car park on King Lane, and forty three adults and children joined us for this free event organised by the Friends of Adel Woods.
Steve gave an introductory talk, explaining that there are 16,500 species of fungi recorded in the UK. Clearly, that is a very large number! The part of the fungi which we see – and which we think of as a mushroom or fungus – is actually the fruiting body which will only appear in certain conditions or at certain times of year: much of their structure is hidden for most of the time in soil or decaying matter.
They can be identified by such factors as their shape, colour, where they are growing and by their physical structure – some times with the aid of a microscope. Steve currently has a list of 168 of the species which we are most likely to find on a fungal foray. However, even with these, the names are constantly changing as science is able to identify their characteristics with greater accuracy – particularly with advances in molecular genetics.
Having given a description of the life cycle and reproduction of a typical mushroom or fungus, Steve led us to have a look first of all at a fine specimen of a shaggy ink cap (or “lawyers wig”) he had spotted in the carpark.
After we had admired the shaggy ink cap, Steve led us into the woods and up into the Alwoodley Plantation on the north side of Crag Lane.
In the course of our foray, we found thirty eight species of fungus – not bad for about an hour and a half’s walk. This blog includes photos taken during the foray of some of the most striking to look at. There is a list of all the species found at the end of this blog post, giving their latin names too, so that you can look them up to find out more.
The common earthball looks like a warty potato on the ground. Steve cut this one in half to show us the flesh inside which will mature into spores which will eventually be dispersed by wind and rain when the skin on the outside bursts open.
Amethyst deceivers are called “deceivers” because, as they age, their colour fades and they become harder to identify.
Pale Tussock Caterpillar
One of our Friends found this beautiful pale tussock caterpillar in the leaf litter on the path in Alwoodley Plantation. It was able to move surprisingly fast. Steve explained that it will have come down from the trees to the ground to find somewhere to pupate. Having taken some photographs, we put the caterpillar back on the ground among the leaf litter but well away from the beaten track. The pale tussock moth is not so striking in appearance – at least not to the human eye.
Adel Woods Ancient Monument
After the conclusion of the fungal foray, a group of us went to have a look at Adel Woods’ very own ancient monument – a celtic carving of a god or a warrior dating from Roman times.
And Finally …Two More Photographs
On our way back to the car park, we came across these two specimens of fungi we had seen earlier during the foray.
A list of the fungi found in Adel Woods on the 8th October 2023
- amethyst deceiver – Laccaria amethystina
- artist’s bracket – Ganoderma applanatum
- beefsteak fungus – Fistulina hepatica
- birch milkcap – Lactarius tabidus
- birch polypore / razorstrop fungus – Fomitopsis betulina
- bleeding oak crust – Stereum gausapatum
- blushing bracket – Daedaleopsis confragosa
- brittle cinder – Kretzschmaria deusta
- brown rollrim – Paxillus involutus
- candlesnuff fungus – Xylaria hypoxylon
- clustered bonnet – Mycena inclinata
- clustered toughshank – Gymnopus confluens
- common bonnet – Mycena galericulata
- common earthball – Scleroderma citrinum
- common inkcap – Coprinopsis atramentaria
- coral spot – Nectria cinnabarina
- deceiver – Laccaria laccata
- dung roundhead – Stropharia semiglobata
- glistening inkcap – Coprinellus micaceus
- hairy curtain crust – Stereum hirsutum
- holly speckle – Trochila ilicina
- hoof fungus / tinder bracket – Fomes fomentarius
- leopard earthball – Scleroderma areolatum
- oak pin – Cudoniella acicularis
- ochre brittlegill – Russula ochroleuca
- peeling oysterling – Crepidotus mollis
- purple jellydisc – Ascocoryne sarcoides
- red cracking bolete – Boletus chrysenteron
- shaggy inkcap / lawyer’s wig – Coprinus comatus
- shaggy parasol – Chlorophyllum rhacodes
- sheathed woodtuft – Kuehneromyces mutabilis
- southern bracket – Ganoderma australe
- stinkhorn – Phallus impudicus
- stump puffball – Apioperdon pyriforme
- sulphur tuft – Hypholoma fasciculare
- tawny grisette – Amanita fulva
- turkeytail – Trametes versicolor
- yellow stagshorn – Calocera viscosa
Friends of Adel Woods 
Excellent photos and so good to have all the fungi named.