Flora and fauna – the Pixie Cup

Who would have thought that literally hours after the coldest weekend for many years today you would be walking in lovely Spring sunshine admiring everything that mother nature has to show.

If you look closely (very closely) at the miles of dry stone walls in and around New Mills you will find what is often referred to as a Pixie Cup in amonst the mosses and lichens.

It is itself part of the lichen family with many varieties of miniature goblets (hence the name). One type is called ‘British soldier’, due to its bright red
fruiting bodies, making the lichen look like a little ‘redcoat’ solider

They are very hardy characters, even found in the Antartic.

If you remember bring a magnifying glass with you on your walk as the Pixie Cup has wonderful detail and colours – happy spotting!

(SW)

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top