Next we have this tiny #gall I found sitting in some #Cladonia that looks like something a fairy designed. The powder caps were so funky and found not far from the Pretzel #SlimeMold! The Locust Borer was found on some goldenrod at a construction site near my home. #Cerambycidae is definitely in my top 3 favorite #Coleoptera families.

#lichens #cladonia I was hoping that this species is Caldonia stellaris but I am unconvinced and is probably C. rangiferina or some other bushy species. Unable to sample because in a Nature Reserve.Scale: lens 40mm long.
I was hoping it was C. stellaris as there is a story behind this lichen. The Swedish name is 'fönsterlav' or window lichen. The name derives from its use. Before the advent of vacuumed and sealed double and triple glazed panels, double glazing comprised two wooden window frames clipped together. The gap between the panes of glass was about ~40mm and was prone to condensation. Dried C. stellaris was used as a wick inside the two panes to reduce moisture. Strangely,Cladonia species has complex mixture of hyrdophilic and hydrophobic properties through its primary and secondary thallus but that is for another day!

#Lichens #Cladonia These spectacular lichens often have 2 parts - squamules growing near the substrate and podetia, growing erect from the substrate. The podetia take on many forms. In these photos they are golf tee or cup like (scyphus). Cladonia are really hard to ID. The LH photo shows a group of similar looking cups that could be described as one species, however under UV light some of the cups appear blue. There are at least 2 species growing in this clump. The UV light response is probably from Cladonia grayi and caused by grayanic acid in the podetia.