Ben Mitchell

A magnificent post, down by the river. #FencepostOfTheWeek

Once again recommending these bug-noculars to anyone who likes looking at lichen, bugs, & small things...

Shapely little mushrooms from the oakwoods in Hell's Glen near Lochgoilhead, yesterday. Panellus stipticus, I think. #panellus #fungi #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

Thought for a second I might have found Phyllosymbia growing on this willow twig but on further investigation is seems to be a small cushion of moss covered in globs of Nostoc. Phyllosymbia is worth a google, BTW! #cyanobacteria #naturephotography #notPhyllosymbia #argyll #uk #nostoc

A fearsome predator lurks in the lichens! This striking creature is the larva of a hoverfly - Epistrophe grossulariae. It mostly eats aphids. #FencepostOfTheWeek #hoverfly #epistrophe #lichen #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

A rather splendid common frog. Posing politely. #rana #frog #wildlifephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

Bazzania trilobata doing its best topiary impression. #liverwort #bazzania #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

Exploring some back roads on a rainy day. #rain #byways #landscapephotography #treetunnel #argyll #scotland #uk

The forest floor was studded with thousands of tiny, white mushrooms. These are Hymenoscyphus fraxineus - the fungus that causes ash die-back disease. #hymenoscyphus #ashdieback #ash #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

Deep in a tangly spruce plantataion. These trees were blown over by a storm about 25 years ago but they didn't die. They just grew up again from side branches. #moss #intothewoods #windthrow #argyll #scotland #uk

19 months of development on this fantastic dead end sign. November 2024 -> June 2026. #lichen #moss #naturephotography #signage #argyll #scotland #uk

A tiny mushroom with sparse, spiky hairs projecting from its cap. Mycena aciculata, I think. #fungi #mushrooms #mycena #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

Harbour seals putting in a hard shift at the loaf factory, Inchmarnock. #phoca #seal #wildlifephotography #inchmarnock #argyll #scotland #uk

A rusty crescent #FencepostOfTheWeek

Behold! A horwort. <<<3 It's my first time seeing one and I am delighted ^_^ #anthocerotophyta #hornwort #naturephotography #bryophytes #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

Pilobolus kleinii, I think. One of the dung cannon fungi. #fungi #pilobolus #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #uk #dungcannon #hatthrower

Big volume #FencepostOfTheWeek #moss #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

Puccinia albescens, a rust fungus, growing all over these townhall clock plants. (Photos from April.) #adoxa #puccinia #rustfungi #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

Alder fly sitting on the fence. #sialis #alderfly #insect #wildlifephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

Tongue and Groove #FencepostOfTheWeek Not sure that's how you're supposed to do it but whatever works... #fencepost #moss #lichen #LonghornBeetle #argyll #scotland #uk

Auspicious signs, Inverary! They even left the reverse blank for your personal message... ^_^ #lichen #argyll #scotland #uk #signage #HereBeLichens

Buff-tip moth from Achnabreac near Lochgilphead yesterday. A close look at some of the different scale/hair shapes contributing to its fancy get-up. #phalera #moth #buff-tip #insect #wildlifephotography #lepidoptera #argyll #scotland #uk

No butterfly; only lichen! ^_^ #platismatia #lichen #anthrocharis #camouflage #orangetip #lepidoptera #insects #wildlifephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

So many bones. A thick layer of detritus from the bottom of a barn owl nest box. #bones #nest #owl #argyll #scotland #uk #naturephotography

A splendid male adder, ready for action on the 23rd April. This year I missed all the action :'( #adder #snake #reptile #herps #naturephotography #vipera #argyll #scotland #uk #snake_cw

Fishbone lichen enjoying a bit of a breeze. #lichen #argyll #scotland #uk #usnea

A couple of jaunty sea-side lichens having a tussle. I think I've got Xanothoria aureola in yellow and Anaptychia runcinata in brown (it goes a lovely avocado green colour when well hydrated.) #lichen #anaptychia #xanthoria #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

What have we been finding in West Cowal? Lots of groovy things. Here's the report: www.inaturalist.org/posts/127579... #biologicalrecording #inaturalist #temperaterainforest #cowal #argyll #naturephotography

A wonderful little common rough woodlouse - Porcellio scaber. #woodlouse #porecllio #wildlifephotography #glenan #argyll #scotland #uk

Some lovely, leathery textures on this very fresh cabbage white chrysalis. <3 (from last August) #pieris #lepidoptera #insect #wildlifephotography #chrysalis #galloway #scotland #uk

I've been seeking out a tiny lichen called Arctomia - it has beautiful deep red apothecia and is one of the many denizens of lush mini-jungles that form in the canopy of liverwort mats on tree trunks in danker woodlands in these parts. #arctomia #liverworts #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

New-to-me slime mould spotted on the broken end of a dead birch branch. Looks like Comatricha nigra, maybe. #slimemold #myxomycetes #comatricha #slimemould #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

A soggy wooden post with an unusual topping: Stereocaulon dactylophyllum, I think. #FencepostOfTheWeek #stereocaulon #lichen #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

An ash tree branch festooned with so many lichens. =) #lichen #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

Lephinchapel Burn: gorgeous! #argyll #scotland #uk #landscapephotography #gorge #wintersun

Hanging around #FencepostOfTheWeek

Winter on the wane :-) #lobaria #spring #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #uk #lichen

Wilson's filmy fern - Hymenophyllum wilsonii. Slightly dry but still very lovely ^_^ #fern #hymenophyllum #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #uk

Mouldering in a gloomy spot #FencepostOfTheWeek

Tripe fungus - Auricularia mesenterica. Looking like tiers of bizarrely inflated turkey tail brackets. It usually grows on elm wood. #fungi #auricularia #tripefungus #naturephotography #argyll #scotland #gigha #uk

I believe I found Scytinium teretiusculum for the first time a few weeks back. Added it to my image matrix of bushy little jelly lichens that grow on trees: wild-e-eep.blogspot.com/2025/05/minu...