Lichens
All images on this website have been taken in Leicestershire and Rutland by NatureSpot members. We welcome new contributions - just register and use the Submit Records form to post your photos. Click on any image below to visit the species page. The RED / AMBER / GREEN dots indicate how easy it is to identify the species - see our Identification Difficulty page for more information. A coloured rating followed by an exclamation mark denotes that different ID difficulties apply to either males and females or to the larvae - see the species page for more detail.
Lichens
Lichens are hard to classify as they are composite organisms where an algae (or cyanobacteria in some cases) lives within a fungal structure. They are a fascinating group to record as they can be found just about anywhere (trees, stones, walls, pavements, fenceposts, etc.) and are generally most easily seen in winter when there are few plants and insects to be found. If you are new to lichens, see our beginners guide to some of the commonest and most easily identified species.
