First black cups of the season have been seen this year, and both kinds. They're not really black but black from a distance, and near-black closer-up, usually a dark brown, sometimes a bit bluish. Both seen in same neighbourhoods as last winter. First pic shows the bigger, more massive type, probably a sarcosoma, as discussed last winter here. I have been able to pay a second visit today to this pair and am sad to report that they have not grown, in fact the little one has keeled over, so maybe too early, got caught by the current freeze or something. The big one of this pair is about 5 cm tall. Second pic has a cluster of the smaller browner ones. The tiny one in front is about 6 mm across, the tinier one almost hidden to its right is about 3 mm. They can eventually get up to 5 cm or so. Cheers, Mike
