Thanks to the Fungi section of BirdForum website, I now know that this is Slime Mould Reticularia lycoperdon previously classified as Enteridium lycoperdon.
Slime Moulds are a strange class of amoeboid protozoa, previously
thought to be fungi but now known to be Myxomycota, which are organisms
which prey on microbial food webs. This particular species is a
bacterial predator and usually very tiny and unlikely to be seen, but
this particular stage of it’s life cycle is a fruiting body known as a
sporangium. This is a globular formation which swells up to around
50-80mm (this was near to the top end of that scale), whereupon it
hardens and then eventually splits to release brown mass of spores. Trichia, a member of the BirdForum community mentions that it usually likes to exit the wood via insect holes.I’ll try to return and take a few more pictures as it matures, to see what happens.
All good inormation Colin -- during a Llanelli Naturalists field meeting to Troserch woods a few years back, we saw some on a tree trunk about 6ft off the ground. I had some on a wooden window sill in a previous house ---- you do not get such nice things on plastic sills.
ReplyDeleteSaw this on a dead tree in Tregyb Wood, Llandeilo a few years back. About 7 ft off the ground it was.
ReplyDeleteIs it dangerous? To pet's, people and organisations children?
ReplyDeleteAnd/or *
ReplyDeleteNo It wouldn't be dangerous although calling it a slime mould doesn't do its image any good. It's just part of nature's rich tapestry - I wouldn't eat it all the same.
ReplyDeleteI found a patch of this in it's silver form already split open in my basement. I can see teh brown spores. Can anyone tell me if I should be concerned about the spores with regard to respiratory problems. I have chronic problems my self and I have a 2yr old. Can i just scrape it off or do I need to contact a specialist? Thanks in advance for your input.
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