Bringing down walls

Posted by Graeme Lyons , Friday 18 March 2011 15:56

I just keyed out my first staphylind beetle, which has presented a mental barrier to me for some time. It landed on my Weatherwriter on Tuesday as I was heading out into the field in the Woods Mill car park. I thought I would have a go at identifying it. Actually it was really easy, probably because it's the only species in the genus. It's Coprophilus striatulus and is a wetland specialist apparently. The ridges on the elytra and grooves on the pronotum are pretty distinctive and it's just over 6 mm long.

I also had a go at this acrocarpous moss growing on the wall by the moth trap outside my office window. It's the incredibly common Tortula muralis. Most of the 103 mosses I have seen are the pleurocarps so I am having to try and branch into the acrocarps to get more species which I find much more difficult. Hell of a lot easier when they are fruiting though! I might do a thorough survey of the wall one lunch time.
My pan-species list is currently 3155, I'll post a more thorough update on my list on the 1st April but  it won't be long before I have seen more beetles than I have birds.

2 Response to "Bringing down walls"

Lucy Corrander : Photos Says:

Would you be able to comment on the moss on this

http://esthersgardennotes.blogspot.com/2011/03/picture-catch-up.html

?

I know it is common but would still be interested to know its name.

Lucy

Graeme Lyons Says:

Hi Lucy
Have done so, it's Funaria hygrometrica.
Graeme

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