Anthony Speca | Aspen Ecology

@aspenecology.com

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Lichen surveying, consultancy, training and education. County Lichen Recorder for Suffolk. Posts mainly about lichens, and occasionally other life-forms, especially if they're overlooked. Rocks now and then, too. Founder @anthonyspeca.bsky.social.

Samphire : Salicornia : England : VC25 East Suffolk : TM3742 Shingle Street : July 2026
Cladonia polydactyla : England : VC25 East Suffolk : TM3547 Rendlesham Forest : July 2026 : On dry tree stump
Oak snakefly : Phaeostigma notata : VC25 East Suffolk : TM3548 Rendlesham Forest : July 2026 : On oak trunk
Scythioria (Caloplaca) phlogina : England : VC26 West Suffolk : TL8646 : On trunk of dead horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)
Cresponea premnea : VC25 East Suffolk : TM4585 : June 2026 : On ancient Quercus robor trunk
Rose-root : Rhodolia rosea : Bøur, Vágar, Faroes : May 2026
Flavoplaca (Caloplaca) maritima : Bøur, Vágar, Faroes : May 2026 : On siliceous boulder
False Irish moss : Mastocarpus stellatus : Bøur, Vágar, Faroes : May 2026
Placopsis gelida : Søltuvík, Sandoy, Faroe Islands : May 2026 : On siliceous boulder
Iron-oxidising bacteria : possibly Leptothrix or Gallionella : Søltuvík, Sandoy, Faroe Islands : In seepage from peat : May 2026
Placidium squamulosum : Wales : VC52 Anglesey : April 2026 : On mortared stone wall
Mainly sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca) but also Scytosiphon laminaria : Elduvîk, Eysturoy, Faroe Islands : May 2026
Trentepohlia, possibly T. aurea : Gjogv, Eysturoy, Faroe Islands : May 2026 : On mortared stone wall
Ochrolechia tartarea : Skálhøvdi, near Skálavik, Sandoy, Faroe Islands : May 2026 : On siliceous outcrop
Small ranunculus : Hecatera dysodea : VC25 East Suffolk : TM3389 : June 2026 : Found indoors
Andy Fisher of Clarion First Aid leading first day of Level 3 Award course in Outdoor First Aid. Norwich, Norfolk, England.
Tephromela atra var. atra & Zeora (Lecanora) sulphurea : Húsavík, Sandoy, Faroe Islands : May 2026 : On siliceous drystone wall
Balanid barnacle : Bøur, Vágar, Faroe Islands : May 2026 : Labelled to indicate external morphology, including major differences with chthamalid barnacles.
Intralichen lichenicola : Drangarnir trailhead, Sandoy, Faroe Islands : May 2026 : On Candelariella vitellina f. vitellina : On derelict metal oil-tank
Cercidospora epipolytropa : Skálhøvdi, Sandoy, Faroe Islands : May 2026 : On Lecanora polytropa : On siliceous outcrop
Lime nail gall : Eriophyes tiliae : England : VC26 West Suffolk : On Tilia leaf : May 2026
House centipede : Scutigera coleoptrata : England : VC25 East Suffolk : TM3389 : May 2026
Bacidina egenula : Wales : VC52 Anglesey : April 2026 : On Salix trunk
Display from ecology and environment careers exhibit at Techniquest Science Discovery Centre in Cardiff, Wales. 'Lichenology: Dr Anthony Speca. My name is Anthony, and I'm a field lichenologist. This means I study lichens outdoors as a practical ecologist. I also teach about lichens, which are the most amazing organisms no-one has heard of! Lichens are everywhere. They've even survived space! But they're sensitive to air pollution, and they're telling us we're not looking after our environment properly. Looking at a lichen close up is like landing on an alien planet. We know a lot less about them than most other wildlife. Many turn brilliant colours with chemicals and UV-light, and some need microscopes to identify. Like a lichen CSI!'
Myriolecis andrewii : Wales : VC52 Anglesey : April 2026 : On siliceous outcrop
Wahlenbergiella mucosa : Húsavík, Sandoy, Faroe Islands : May 2026 : On siliceous outcrop
Wahlenbergiella striatula : Wales : VC52 Anglesey : April 2026 : On siliceous rock
Poster for Waldringfield Wildlife Group event, 'Discovering the Secret World of Lichens', led by Dr Anthony Speca of Aspen Ecology : Saturday 13 June : 11.00 to 14.00 : Waldringfield Village Hall
Collemopsidium elegans : Scotland : VC101 Kintyre : NR6974 : July 2022 : On quartz pebble
Collemopsidium foveolatum and Collemopsidium sublitorale : Scotland : VC101 Kintyre : August 2022 : On Cirripedia shell
Collemopsidium foveolatum : Húsavík, Sandoy, Faroe Islands : May 2026 : On Patella shell
Collemopsidium foveolatum : Wales : VC52 Anglesey : April 2026 : On Cirripedia shell
Collemopsidium pelvetiae : Wales : VC52 Anglesey : April 2026 : On Pelvetia canaliculata frond
Verrucaria muralis, V. polysticta & V. viridula : England : VC26 West Suffolk : TL8563 : May 2026 : On limestone gravestone
Parmelina quercina : Fiastra, Macerata, Marche, Italy : April 2026 : On Quercus trunk
Andricus caputmedusae : Force, Ascoli Piceno, Marche, Italy : April 2026 : On Quercus acorn
Caloplaca cerina : Force, Ascoli Piceno, Marche, Italy : April 2026 : On Tilia trunk
Blastenia ferruginea : Force : Ascoli Piceno : Marche : Italy : On Quercus branch
Anisomeridium biforme : England : VC40 Shropshire : SJ4526 : February 2026 : On Corylus trunk
University of Suffolk, Ipswich, Suffolk, England : Robin Drayton, CC BY-SA 2.0
Erythricium aurantiacum : England : VC25 East Suffolk : TM4077 : March 2026 : On Physcia adscendens : On Quercus twig
Lecanora barkmaniana : England : VC25 East Suffolk : TM4077 : March 2026 : On Prunus branch
Anaptychia ciliaris : England : VC25 East Suffolk : TM4077 : March 2026 : On Quercus branch
Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) in parkland near Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park, London, April 2026
Porpidia tuberculosa : England : VC21 Middlesex : TQ2780 : March 2026 : On siliceous boulder
Parmotrema perlatum : England : VC40 Shropshire : SJ7312 : On mossy oak trunk : February 2026
Blennothallia crispa : England : VC40 Shropshire : SJ7312 : February 2026 : On basic sandstone outcrop
Blennothallia crispa : England : VC40 Shropshire : SJ7312 : February 2026 : On basic sandstone outcrop
Slime mould : Myxogastria : VC40 Shropshire : SJ7312 : February 2026 : On rotting fallen twig
Wrinkled crust fungus (Phlebia radiata) : England : VC40 Shropshire : SJ7313 : February 2026 : On Prunus trunk
Lecanora argentata : England : VC40 Shropshire : SJ4526 : February 2026 : On Fraxinus trunk
Alyxoria viridipruinosa : England : VC40 Shropshire : SJ4526 : February 2026 : On Corylus trunk
Kuettlingeria albolutescens : England : VC25 East Suffolk : TM3790 : February 2026 : On concrete retaining wall
Lecania inundata : England : VC25 East Suffolk : TM337894 : February 2026 : On terracotta pot
Catillaria lenticularis (with invasive cyanobacteria) : England : VC25 East Suffolk : TM3389 : February 2026 : On limestone chest-tomb
Emmanuel Church, Bungay
Hyde Park Learning Centre, London
Trapelia glebulosa s. str. : England : VC27 East Norfolk : TM3389 : January 2026 : On wooden gatepost
Looking upstream along River Waveney at Falcon Meadow near Bungay on summer's day.
Myxogastria : England : VC40 Shropshire : SJ4620 : November 2025 : On Quercus twig