Now that summer has set in and the bird population on our farm has stabilized for the season, I am more inclined to roam the property, looking for unusual insects and plants. This morning, while exploring our "wild corner," I came across a clump of matted hair in the brush pile.
Initially assuming it was the remnants of a mouse or small cottontail, I used a stick to investigate further but found no bones or other material to confirm my suspicion. I then concluded it was a type of fungus and, after some investigation, settled on a species of Phycomyces; these fungi produce long, hair-like sporangia which terminate in tiny spheres that contain the spores. Feasting on (and recycling) a wide variety of rotting organic matter, the fungal bloom was likely triggered by our recent heavy rains.
My identification may or may not be correct but, in more than sixty years of exploring natural ecosystems, it was the first time I encountered such a fungus; just the latest confirmation that nature's diversity is endless, even for a life-long naturalist.
Initially assuming it was the remnants of a mouse or small cottontail, I used a stick to investigate further but found no bones or other material to confirm my suspicion. I then concluded it was a type of fungus and, after some investigation, settled on a species of Phycomyces; these fungi produce long, hair-like sporangia which terminate in tiny spheres that contain the spores. Feasting on (and recycling) a wide variety of rotting organic matter, the fungal bloom was likely triggered by our recent heavy rains.
My identification may or may not be correct but, in more than sixty years of exploring natural ecosystems, it was the first time I encountered such a fungus; just the latest confirmation that nature's diversity is endless, even for a life-long naturalist.
