Fungus - anyone know what it is

caorach

Well-Known Member
This photo was taken in the Hebrides and there are patches of this stuff here and there, though they are usually fairly restricted in where they appear. Does anyone know exactly what it is?

 
My first thought was dog vomit or Fuligo septica which is a mold I think? Was it in woodland?
 
My first thought was dog vomit or Fuligo septica which is a mold I think? Was it in woodland?

Everyone who sees it thinks a dog has thrown up, but that is not what it is as although it is "local" it is widely spread and in some very remote areas. I've never seen it in woodland and this photo was taken on the Isle of Lewis moorland probably a mile from the nearest access and maybe 7 miles from the nearest house. People I've talked to have seen it in other places, including grass at the roadside.

It is really that bright yellow, in fact it looks like someone has poured some of that thick yellow paint they use for road markings onto the plants.
 
i'd say thats more like a froth created by an insect laying its eggs?

Could be, but to give some idea of scale I'd say it is about a foot along each side. I've no idea if insects can lay down that sort of foam blanket. It was quite solid to the touch. I wish I'd picked it up and brought some home for closer examination but I was just so amazed by it that I didn't think.
 
Looks like you've got it!

Fuligo septica - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In view of it listing as common it is hard to believe that I've never seen it before but maybe this year just happens to be a good year for it. Thanks for the info.

It's common name is dogs vomit. It's the time of year for it. You don't often see it because it only lasts for a day or two. It's instrumenal in decaying leaf litter in the autumn. interestingly, (to me anyway) leaf litter in the Chernobyl exclusion zone hasn't decayed for years because organisms like this have all been radiated and died.
 
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