What's this please?

[BorderReiver]

On a birch tree, about the size of half a pingpong ball, soft like a marshmallow.

And what's this wee beastie with the looong nose?

 

[Barn Owl]

Think there was a query about that type of fungus not long ago.
Iirc it moves around the tree.
Could be wrong though.

Don't know about the beastie offhand.

 

[ananix]

The big ball of foam can be some sort of egg protection thingie, did you cut it open??

In regards to the wee beastie i think i have a pic of the same bug where you can see it from the other side, maybe that will help others to ID, i can also say the nose flexes very well. Picture seem to be taken around same time a year and same biotope. It did not want to eat or atack me, it was just chilling.

 

[nitrambur]

Bee-stie is a bee-fly

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombyliidae

 

[JonathanD]

The fly looks like a bee-fly Bombylius major. A nectar feeder. No idea bout the fungus

 

[JonathanD]

Bee-stie is a bee-fly

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombyliidae

Beat me too it

 

[MrEd]

yep a bee fly, see them a lot in my garden

as per this shot

 

[locum76]

Cool, I saw one of those beasties at the farm yesterday. Thanks for that.

 

[BorderReiver]

Ah, a beefly, thanks folks.

The white blob gives the impression of being an egg protection device but I didn't want to destroy it to find out.

 

[launditch1]

Ive seen one of those marshmallow type things on a horse chestnut..same sort of size and everything, went back a few days later and it lying on the floor torn open.Inside it looked like a minature wasps nest with semi-developed larvae inside.
I hope someone on here knows for sure!

 

[British Red]

Thats a slime mould BR

 

[Fruit Loop]

Just a complete guess on the pale blob thingy.

Could it be the egg sack of the wasp spider?

The wasp spider is a relatively new invader to our shores from Europe. I think the spider is a member of the orb web spinners (sounds like a folk group). The egg sack is about an inch or so across and light in colour.

My books are lacking in information as it was only recorded/studied in the UK in 2006. First reports were from the South coast and now found as far North as Cambridgeshire.

 

[JonathanD]

Just a complete guess on the pale blob thingy.

Could it be the egg sack of the wasp spider?

The wasp spider is a relatively new invader to our shores from Europe. I think the spider is a member of the orb web spinners (sounds like a folk group). The egg sack is about an inch or so across and light in colour.

My books are lacking in information as it was only recorded/studied in the UK in 2006. First reports were from the South coast and now found as far North as Cambridgeshire.

That'd be cool

 

[British Red]

This is certainly deja vu

Border Reiver and I (and others) discussed this very organism in April last year

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40082

I am sure its the same beast - but have a look and check it out

 

[xylaria]

Enteridium lycoperdon
the slime mold

The bee fly is strange looking creature,

 

[BorderReiver]

This is certainly deja vu

Border Reiver and I (and others) discussed this very organism in April last year

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40082

I am sure its the same beast - but have a look and check it out

Oh dear, I had forgotten all about that. Thanks for the reminder Red.

Went back today and it has lost it's "fresh" look, the skin breaking down, and it contains a substance like dry chocolate paste.

 

[British Red]

That'll be it starting to spore.

I remember being totally confused when I first found one, only to discover someone else had a thread in 2007 (link in my thread). I suspect, like me, having seen one in the flesh so to speak, you'll know it forever now!

Interesting to note that all the threads are in April too - clearly a tight season to these things

Red

 

[Harvestman]

Definitely not a spider egg sac. Wasp Spider egg sac looks nothing like that, and would be webbed into grass. I'm of hte opinion with others that it's a slime mold.