dragonflies

Golden-ringed dragonfly Cordulegaster boltonii (top) and Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum (bottom), both seen at Ipley August 2010. The Golden-ringed female is the longest UK Dragonfly.

emperor moth caterpillar

A beautiful Emperor moth caterpillar we saw on the heathland near Ipley in the New Forest. Saturnia pavonia, feeds on heather and brambles.

agaricus xanthodermus

Agaricus xanthodermus (yellow stainer) looks a bit like a field mushroom or horse mushroom but, unlike the edible mushrooms about at the same time, this one bruises bright chrome-yellow, especially towards the margin (you can see this on the photo). Occasional, habitat in woods, meadows and gardens, season summer to autumn. Poisonous (the symptoms being sweating, flushing and severe stomach cramps, only some people are affected). Found on the grassy area between Caponfield and Cole Green Lane

acorn knopper gall

The gall wasp Andricus quercuscalicis is responsible for this gall which forms on the actual acorn. The growth appears as a mass of ridged plant tissue. When the growth is vigorous the gall can completely enclose the acorn and hide it from view. These photos were taken of the same patch of galls on 21 July and then 22 August.

giant puffball

What a find! The first we found was a little way out from this hedgerow, a little small and not worth picking, but ever hopeful we looked about a bit more and spied this one nestling between the ripe brambles. Katie very proudly picked it and helped me make a big pot of wild mushroom soup.
Wild mushroom soup
1.5 lb of fresh wild mushrooms (i.e. whole of this monster!) sauteed in butter and olive oil with two finely chopped onions and some garlic and thyme. A bit of flour added along with nutmeg and seasoning. Liquid added in form of 3 pints of chicken stock and a glug of sherry. Just over an oz of dried ceps (porcini) added in and the whole lot simmered for 20 minutes or so before being biltzed with a hand blender and some Elmlea cream added to taste... enough to serve 6-8 people

chicken of the woods pie

Chicken of the Woods - what a find just around the corner from home in Welwyn Garden City! I hve not eaten this mushroom since I was a kid so I was very excited to finally find a decent specimen which was fit for the kitchen!

Katie and her Daddy checking out the lovely yellow Sulpur Polyphore on the trunk of a cherry tree.

Now it is time for Mummy to make something yummy from our find...

Cue Chicken of the Woods Pie...

Mushroom cleaned,

tough bits discarded and rest finely sliced,

2 x onions fried slowly in butter and vegetable oil,

mushroom added and cooked down gently for 30 minutes or so,

Elmlea cream, chicken stock and seasoning added, simmered for a further 20 minutes,

Made into a pie with normal shortcrust pastry (1 part butter, 1 part lard and 4 parts flour)

Yummy!!!