An hour's stomp through the snow this afternoon looked like it was going to fail to add a single species - no Jack Snipe, Brambling, Water Rail etc. Just as I returned home though an embarassing gap was filled when a single Starling flew over. These have always been unaccountably rare at this end of the village (they prefer the other end) but it was getting a bit silly that I hadn't seen one. 132. Time to get the liverwort book out.
Oh, one other species but I think it's going to prove unidentifiable. We've got scale insects on our umbrella plant indoors. I haven't the faintest idea if it's possible for mere mortals to identify such things?
Speaking as a mere mortal...Google Hemispherical Scale Saissetia hemisphaerica and Soft Brown Scale Coccus hesperidum, both appear to like Schefflera. If they don't fit the bill, buy some more plants from your local garden centre and when safely back in TM2499 check 'em for afforementioned scales. Repeat until successful!! :D
ReplyDeleteYou could do a similar thing with the local supermarket and see if you can breed through Phyllocnistis citrella. Y'know, if you really feel like cheating that badly....
ReplyDeleteNot forgetting Penicillium italicum, marginally (very marginally...) better than those found at any decent cheese counter.
ReplyDeleteSSSSKKKKRRRREEEE-AAAPPPPPPPEEE.....sorry, that's the sound of the bottom of TM2499's barrel being scraped ;)
ReplyDeleteWot you saying? I might be needing to cultivate some Trichophyton before the year's out - that's really scraping the barrel!
ReplyDeleteHmm, they do look rather like Coccus hesperidum mind. But is that a safe tick? Not sure I feel happy without keying something...
ReplyDeleteOne for your online resource page, if it's not there already?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bnhs.co.uk/focuson/scales/html/index.htm