Wildlife: Angelic First For Derbyshire

It is a recorded first for Derbyshire as angel’s wings fungus has appeared in a Derbyshire Wildlife Trust Woodland Nature Reserve.

Whilst Derbyshire Wildlife Trust volunteers and staff were working in a peak district woodland they came across beautiful white fungi. The fungus covered an area the size of a large room and made the woodland floor look as though it had been covered in petals. Initial identification has been verified and the fungus is angel’s wings which has the scientific name Pleurocybella porrigens.

This fungus grows in clusters on decaying conifer wood. It’s fairly common in the Scottish Highlands and also appears in the south of Scotland and in Cumbria. In the rest of the country it is very rare. This is the first recorded sighting for Derbyshire.

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust explained that as it has been so mild recently there are still a lot of fungi about. The part of the fungus that you see above ground is actually the fruit. The rest of the plants is made up of lots of tiny threads which get their nutrients and energy from the organic matter on the woodland floor, rather than the sun like plants.

Reserves officer Julia Gow said, “This is an exciting find and what a great name for a fungus.”

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is campaigning for a Wilder Derbyshire and a Wilder Future and this news is just fantastic for Derbyshire.

For more information visit www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk

Find out more about Derbyshire WIldlife at www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk