I’m learning about mosses and how to identify them. I spend a lot of time squeezing moss cushions and peering at them under the microscope but haven’t taken the time to learn how to identify mosses! I also regularly post photos of mosses growing in interesting places on Bluesky, follow me there if you don’t already.
Recently, I’ve reached the point where I want to learn the names of some of the mosses I find, from those growing around my home in Woodingdean, Brighton and Hove, to others across England and beyond.
Along this journey, I’ll no doubt make mistakes and I’m more than happy to be corrected. As I go, I’ll be creating and sharing resources to help you discover and identify mosses alongside me.
The Moss Safari Connection
Moss Safari aims to:
- Connect people with nature
- Promote microscopy
- Inspire STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) activities
The Discovering Mosses project supports these aims by encouraging people to look closer, appreciate the mosses around them, and think like a natural scientist. If you really get into this, you can pull out a microscope and look at the exquisite finer details of moss.
Who is this for?
The resources below are for individuals, families, schools, home-educators, and community groups, anyone curious to explore and appreciate mosses for their natural beauty, their natural brilliance, and their natural significance. Read the blog, download the resources and go out and discover mosses!
Support the Project
If you find these resources useful, please let me know on social media or via my contact page, I love hearing from fellow moss explorers!
I create and share this project for free, so if you’d like to support my educational work, you can leave a tip or buy Moss Safari merchandise via my Ko-Fi online shop. Every little bit helps me keep creating and sharing more moss magic. Click the image below.
Free downloadable resources for discovering mosses
As I create infographics and resources, I will upload them here, often with an accompanying blog and/or links. Subscribe to this website for instant alerts to new content.
Infographic 1. Is that a moss?
This first infographic is help us know what a moss is, and what it isn’t! Sometimes we think anything small green, pale or damp is a moss. However, they have some key characteristics that make the a moss.
Infographic 2. How does moss grow?
Moss has a lot of species, but they can be grouped into two main growth forms.
This infographic helps you identify these two main growth forms, this takes us on the next step to moss identification.
Infographic 3. What is a moss plant like?
Before we start identifying mosses, we need to be able to describe the differences between different mosses. This infographic highlights the key characteristics and introduces some technical words that help us identify different moss species.
Infographic 4. Where does moss grow?
Now we know what we are looking for, this infographic is a guide of where to look for mosses. This concentrated on where to look in cities and towns.
Infographic 5 – Some urban mosses
Now we look closer at mosses. Look at their leaves, growth form and sporophytes. These are some common examples of mosses that grow in towns and cities. Can you identify any near you?
Infographic 6. Steps to identifying a moss
Use these simple steps to identify the moss you have found. There are questions that will help you work out which moss you have found. Note you are likely to need only steps 1 and 2 for most mosses.
Infographic 7. Moss Identification Record Sheet
Use this sheet to record your moss sample finds. Share them with me. Look out for my example record sheets.
More to follow soon
Moss Safari 