Where was I?

280 days of Urbpandemonium list, beginning of the second half (since the whole list is too big by lj's new standards.

Add 140 to the number.

1. Ermine moth Yponomeuta sp.




2. Ichneumon wasp Enicospilus sp.




3. Large yellow underwing Noctua pronuba




4. Leaf roller Archipini




5. Yellow-fringed Dolichomia Hypsopygia olinalis




6. Macaria sp. (a moth)




7. Besma quercivoraria (a moth)




8. Dark-spotted palthis Palthis angulalis




9. Crab spider Thomisidae




10. Black blister beetle Epicauta pennsylvanica




11. Paper wasp Polistes sp.




12. Meal moth Pyralis farinalis




13. Spiny orbweaver Micrathena gracilis




14. Sulphur shelf Laetiporus sulphureus




15. Chicken mushroom Laetiporus cincinnatus




16. Mosquito Cucilidae




17. Jack-o-lantern mushroom Omphalotus illudens




18. Gyponana sp. (a leafhopper)




19. Grass spider Agelenidae




20. Eastern parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus




21. Crambid moth Crambidae




22. Cross orbweaver Araneus diadematus




23. Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta




24. Northern short-tailed shrew Blarina brevicauda




25. Gloeophyllum sepiarium (a wood decay fungus)




26. Carolina grasshopper Dissosteira carolina




27. Fall field cricket Gryllus pennsylvanicus




28. Sun fly Heliomyzidae




29. Greenhouse millipede Oxidus gracilis




30. Bicolored bolete Baorangia bicolor




31. Water lily aphids Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae




32. Artist’s conk Ganoderma applanatum




33. Western conifer seed bug Leptoglossis occidentalis




34. Common conehead Neoconocephalus sp




35. Trametes hirsuta (a mushroom)




36. Bronzed cutworm Nephelodes minians




37. Leafcutter bee Litomegachile mendicus




38. Bark mycena Mycena corticola




39. Differential grasshopper Melanoplus differentialis




40. European earwig Forficula auricularia




41. Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus




42. Red-eared slider Trachemys scripta elegans




43. Flesh fly Sarcophagidae




44. Woolly Bear Pyrrharctia isabella




45. Dusky slug Arion subfuscus




46. Hackberry nipple gall psyllid Pachypsylla celtidismamma




47. Casebearer moth Coleophora sp.




48. Giant leopard moth Hypercompe scribonia




49. Planthopper Acanalonia conica




50. Lupine bug Megalotomus quinquespinosus




51. Yellow bear Spilosoma virginica




52. Meadow katydid Conocephalus fasciatus




53. Eastern comma Polygonia comma




54. Leucoagaricus americanus (a mushroom)




55. Bird’s nest fungi Nidulariaceae




56. American house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum




57. Purple-spored puffball Calvatia cyathiformis




58. Brick cap Hypholoma lateritium




59. Autumn March fly Bibio slossonae




60. The gem Orthonama obstipata




61. Common Eupithecia Eupithecia miserulata




62. Dacrymyces chrysospermus (a mushroom)




63. Angel wings Pleurocybella porrigens

280 days of Urbpandemonium #204

After the first freeze, a whole suite of new mushroom species appear. These are "late fall oysters" Panellus serotinus*, distinct from true oyster mushrooms by their color--variable but never the plain gray and white of the Pleurotus fungi. These are sometimes collected as wild food, since often they may be among the only mushrooms around in November or December. (These were photographed in northern Vermont, which enjoys an earlier freeze than Boston). During one lecture I attended, the mushroom expert on hand declared it "the single worst edible mushroom I've ever tried." Maybe he didn't cook it long enough.



*Late flowering little tumor

280 days of Urbpandemonium #205

These egg-like protuberances appear on freshly watered lawns and alongside paths where the soil is compressed from foot traffic. The shaggy mane Coprinus comatus* is a mushroom produced by a fungus that has benefited from human changes to the land. The "eggs" open up into more mushroom-like structures, but almost immediately turn into black liquid. If they are harvested and cooked before this happens they are a mushroom-hunter's delight (I have not tried them myself). I encountered this grouping along with my fungi field walk--when we passed back by it a few minutes later the mushrooms had been flattened by oblivious footsteps.

* Edible dung mushroom