Sadly, Richard Moore, author of “The Beetles of the Isle of Raasay in the Inner Hebrides” has passed away. He first came to Raasay in 1972 and returned pretty much every year to record the beetle fauna.
Usually coming twice a year for several weeks and staying at Arnish, he had become part of the Raasay scene and will be much missed.
Almost single-handedly he took the list of Raasay beetles, which stood at 129 in 1983, to well over 700, the longest list for any island of the Inner Hebrides.
Steve has found this choke fungus near Broadford which is probably Epichloë typhina – though this “species” probably contains more than one entity. A specimen has gone to Kew for further investigation
Epichloe typhina Photo: S Terry
Meanwhile in my lawn this fruiting body appears to have turned itself inside-out.
I have trapped several bugs in the garden recently including Anthocoris nemorum, the Common Flower Bug. The books say it can pierce human flesh and I can testify to that – but it does help control aphids.
Anthocoris nemorum
A duller version which is well coated in erect hairs, Anthocoris sibiricus has only been recorded once in Britain – from Scalpay in the 1930s.
From further afield John has sent me an image of Carabus nitens, a fine, Nationally Scarce ground-beetle which he found on Ben Lomond. Within the limits of the NBN gateway this appears to be only the second Scottish record in the years 2000-2016.
Carabus nitens Photo: J Poulter
Thanks to Stephen Moran for insect determinations.
Steve kindly sent 333 records from August, despite having spent a good chunk of it watching the Olympics, including this roadside Mentha x piperita (Peppermint (M. aquatica x spicata)):
Mentha x piperita Photo S. Terry
There are only a few VC 104 records for this, though it may have been overlooked.
Meanwhile, Carmen has sent records from visits to Skye this year and last. She visited various botanical hotspots and intends to return for more. Pleasingly she spotted Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (Grey Club-rush) at Loch na h-Airde, something I missed when the Skye Botany Group went there last year despite there being pre-2000 records
