Ichneumonid wasp refound - Chasmias motatorius

Found hybernating in bulrushes over the weekend, this species of wasp is one that was first recorded on the reserve ten years ago -the ichneumoid Chasmias motatorius

Mollusc madness continues

Another couple of molluscs, one of which is new to the reserve (the Balea), plus a new plant and a long-awaited old friend.

The Heracleum plants on the banking above the filter beds were well occupied by many Winter Semi-slugs (Vitrina pellucida). This is a species already recorded on the reserve. The wall snails (Balea perversa) were not, however. I'm assuming their "perversa" monicker comes from the direction of spiral, though I think that character belongs to the whole family.

An earwig finally got on the list at an amazing #386. I have been expecting it since day 1. And bizarrely a very poor and tiny Hart's Tongue fern was new for the reserve on the bottom of the wall in the "orchid meadow"., which takes the total to 1701 species - hurray! 1800, here we come!

Winter Semi-slug

Winter Semi-slug

Balea perversa

Common Earwig

Hart's Tongue fern

Asaphomyces tubanticus - a fungus new to Culllaloe, Fife and Scotland

So the first (well, why not be optimistic?) "new for Scotland" species of the year emerged last night under the lens. While wrestling with a Catops species (I reckon fuliginosus but not certain) I noticed its nether regions were somewhat decorated with one of my favourite groups of things in the natural world - the Laboulbeniomycetes

Turns out to be Asaphomyces tubanticus, which is pretty host specific, to genus at least. Ain't it pretty?

Pleurotus ostreacus - Oyster fungus new to Cullaloe

Saturday 19/01/2019

Oligolophus hanseni

A harvestman that likes to hang around on tree trunks in January

Hedgehog Slug (Arion intermedius) new to Cullaloe

In the willow Carr. These are very small slugs, which when they are bunched up have a spikey appearance. They're probably about as cute as slugs get.

Cryptocorineum-condensatum- a fungus new for Cullaloe

On willow, though it can also be found on the wood of other deciduous trees.

Ash-black Slug, Limax cinereoniger new to Cullaloe

A couple of these rather fetching slugs were under wood in the woodland compartment on New Year's day. Note the prominent semi-keel extending slightly more than half way from the tail.

2019 - the quest for 1.5k, the first 300!

During 2019 as an extended part of the 1ksq competition (1000 species in a 1k square in one year) I'll be trying to rack up 1500 species at Cullaloe.

A fair old start to the year, with a good morning on 1st Jan and a few 1 hour sessions to do a basic cover of the reserve compartments. 200 came up on day one so got to be happy with that! Also a few additions to the reserve list which is a big part of the target this year. After two years on other locations I find myself coming refreshed to old ground and apparently with some new skills - always a relief. Some recon didn't hurt, either.

Bryophytes 1

Bryophytes 2

Bryophytes 3

There's no way I'm going to try to summarise the list so far so here's the numbers and one of my favourite odd beasts - the linyphiid Savignya frontata. Surreal! And very pleasingly one of three additions to the reserve's already quite decent spider list.

Numbers:

	Jan
Algae	1
Lichens	29
Fungi	54
Plants - Vascular	91
Plants - Bryo	46
Mollusc	3
Arachnida	11
Collembola	3
Hemiptera	2
Hymenoptera	2
Coleoptera	8
Diptera	2
Lepidoptera	1
Invert - Other	4
Vert - Birds	42
Vert - Other	1
Total	300