London Wildlife | ObsessedByNature

Here are some photographs of the Vertebrates, Insects, Invertebrates, Plants, Fungi and Landscapes of London. To my surprise, many people think London has no wildlife. Almost the reverse is true: the arable countryside, carefully kept free of weeds and pests by farmers, is very poor in birds, bees and butterflies. London’s largely pesticide-free gardens, railway verges, riverbanks and odd corners are full of interesting animals, plants and fungi; people drive in from all over to visit popular wildlife sites like the Wetland Centre and Richmond Park, not to mention Kew Gardens.

The images are all copyright and may be used only with written permission. Click on the thumbnails to see the full images (which are often a different shape).

Vertebrates

Stag preparing for the autumn rut, antlers decorated with weed. Richmond Park's Pen Ponds — Stag preparing for rut, Richmond Park

Grey Squirrel with Sycamore fruits — Grey Squirrel gathering Sycamore fruits

Insects

Stag Beetle, Lucanus cervus is holding on in London, but is nationally scarce	Ant farming Blackfly aphids	Knot grass caterpillar, Acronicta rumicis	Female Holly Blue, Celastrina argiolus
Wasp Beetle, Clytus arietis	Gooseberry Sawfly: a nuisance, but beautiful	Least Yellow Underwing Moth, Noctua interjecta	Large Red Damselflies in Wheel (male at top)
Angle Shades Moth, Phlogophora meticulosa	Lesser Stag Beetle, underside, playing dead	.	.
.	.	.	.

Invertebrates

Woodlice and leopard slug under damp log

Noble false widow spider, Steatoda nobilis on Henry Moore statue — Noble False Widow Spider, Steatoda nobilis

Plants

Fungi

Scarlet Elf Cup, Sarcoscypha austriaca	Beige Coral fungus, Clavulinopsis umbrinella	Coral Spot, Nectria cinnabarina	Southern Bracket, Ganoderma australe
Burgundydrop Bonnet, Mycena haematopus	Golden Scalycap, Pholiota aurivella on Willow	A Milkcap, Lactarius cilicioides	Coconut-scented Milkcap, Lactarius glyciosmus
Candlesnuff or Stagshorn, Xylaria hypoxylon	Tawny Funnel, Lepista flaccida	Wood Blewit, Lepista nuda	Dead Man’s Fingers, Xylaria polymorpha, an Ascomycete
Chicken of the Woods, Meripilus giganteus	Fairy Ring Champignon, Marasmius oreades	Jelly Ear, Auricula auricula-judae	Puffball colony, Lycoperdon perlatum
A birdsnest fungus, Cyathus olla, on woodchip	Purple Crust Fungus	Shaggy Parasol, Macrolepiota rhacodes	Collared Earthstar, Geastrum triplex
Yellow Brain, Tremella mesenterica	Yellow Inkcap, Coprinus auricomus	Orange Peel Fungus, Aleuria aurantia	Destroying Angel, Amanita virosa
Turkeytail, Trametes versicolor	A Dapperling, probably Lepiota hystrix	Clouded Funnel, Clitocybe nebularis	Fly Agaric, Amanita muscaria
? Spectacular Rustgill, Gymnopilus junonius	Pale Brittlestem, Psathyrella candolleana	The Deceiver, Laccaria laccata	Butter Cap, Collybia butyracea
Sulphur Knight, Tricholoma sulphureum	Common Inkcap, Coprinus atramentarius	Elfin Saddle, Helvella lacunosa, an Ascomycete	Variable Oysterling, Crepidotus variabilis, winter
Common Cavalier, Melanoleuca polioleuca	Slippery Jack, Suillus luteus, a Bolete (with pores not gills)	Sticky Scalycap, Pholiota gummosa	Yellow Swamp Brittlegill, prob. Russula claroflava

Landscapes

Early morning Snail tracks	Sycamore Leaf Carpet	Squash Festival, Kew	Giant Cepes, Kew
Isabella Plantation	Red Sky at Morning	‘Mangrove Swamp’	Fox, Crow, and Squirrel prints

2 thoughts on “London Wildlife”

Rosemary Stephens says:

3 January 2015 at 4:47 pm

I stumbled across you looking for fungus ID. Really love your site, would love to see more! Thank you!
1. Ian Alexander says:
  
  4 January 2015 at 8:43 am
  
  Thank you! Hope you find out what your fungus was. I’m not an expert but I believe my identifications here are pretty close. There are so many fungi that can appear occasionally, besides the common ones, that ‘new’ ones continually surprise me. It’s a delight how colourful and varied London’s fungi are.

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