Waxcaps at Bradlaugh Fields

These pretty fungi are increasingly rare to find nowadays, because their habitat is “unimproved” grassland, ie grassland that hasn’t had fertilisers tipped all over it. The Waxcap Conservation website says:

Waxcaps need short turf (i.e. regularly mown or grazed), no fertiliser or lime input and no disturbance, e.g. ploughing or reseeding …

To conserve Lawn or other Grassland Fungi :

1) Keep well grazed or mown.
2) Use no fertilisers.
3) Do not reseed.
4) Keep well-drained.
5) Avoid deep shade.

In recent years the “Scrub Field” and Orchid Bank have been especially well mown and the grass-cuttings have been carefully removed to prevent nutrients building up. As a result the grassland is better, year on year, for a wonderful variety of wild flowers, plants and fungi to thrive.

Waxcap Grassland is so rare now as to merit its own Action Plan in some regions. Here in Northamptonshire apparently Borough Hill is renowned as the best place to see a wide variety of species. So far the only kind I’ve seen at Bradlaugh is this yellow one, which looks like it may be the Persistent Waxcap, or as I’d call it; the Pointy-Head (a translation iof its scientific name Hygrocybe acutoconica).

Have you seen other varieties? Perhaps you have photos? Please get in touch via a comment below.