For The Funga

Happy 4th of July for those of you in the United States! I’m sure chicken is on the menu today. Anyone having Chicken of the Woods? Barbecuing and fireworks are quite the common practice on this day. Chicken of the Woods is a decently sized, bright and colorful mushroom found in hardwood forests. Its orange and yellow color can be present through the winter. Its scientific name is Laetiporus sulphureus. It has other nicknames such as the Sulfur Shelf and Sulphur Polypore. It belongs to the Fomitopsidaceae family of the Polyporales order. This order belongs to the Agaricomycetes class of the Basidiomycota phylum. It is considered a saprobe and a parasite that causes a brown heart rot, particularly in Yew trees. It can also be found on Oak, Sweet Chestnut, and Beech trees. Typically, a tree is doomed when its fruiting bodies are found growing on it. It can be found on dying tree trunks, fallen logs, or stumps. This mushroom starts showing up in May through November. It can occasionally be found through the winter months as well. The best times to find this mushroom is in May and September. You can find this one East of the Rocky Mountains. Super cool find. I found this in different nature preserve. So, unfortunately, I did not forage these. Had this been anywhere else, it’d be eating this type of chicken today. 😂 #fungi #fungiphotography #mushroom #mushroomphotography #canon #canonphotography #canonphoto #canonphotographers #canonphotos #canon _photos #nature #naturephotography #forest #forestphotography #independenceday #independence #unitedstates #4thofjuly #science #education #learn #biology #microbiology #ecology #mycology #woods #mushroomhunter #mushlove #pilze #hongos

How are you lichen the summer so far? This is one of my absolute favorite lichens in the nature preserve. This is the Star Rosette Lichen, Physcia stellaris. Lichens are fascinating life forms. They are made up of two organisms; fungi and algae that live symbiotically in order to survive. Here are some lichen anatomy terms to hopefully help you better understand what you are seeing in these photos: Thallus - the main body of the lichen. Rhizine - this is a leaf-like structure that anchors the lichen to a surface. Apothecium - the dark circular structures with a light frosted-appearing rim seen in the photos. These are the structures that produce spores for the fungal component of its reproductive cycle. It holds the hymenium. Hymenium - layer that holds the asci and paraphyses. Paraphyses - support filaments Ascus (asci:plural) - these are small sacs that contain the ascospores Ascospores - the sexual propagules of the fungus. Asco- refers to the Ascomycota phylum. Structures that this species lacks: Isidium - spiny projection that snaps off and initiates asexual propagation. Soredium - smaller holes that release an aggregation of fungal and algal cells for propagation This species apparently lacks soredia or isidia. One source discussed this and mentioned that the central part of the lichen does appear warty. Perhaps, he was suggesting the lichen has some other method of producing soredia and isidia or, at the very least, a different method of asexual reproduction. Pretty interesting stuff. #lichen #lichenphotography #fungi #fungiphotograhy #alga #algae #canon #canonphotography #canonphoto #canonphotographers #canon _photos #canonphotos #naturephotography #nature #macro #macrophotography #macrophoto #macrophotos #forest #forestphotography #science #ciencia #wissenschaft #ciência #biology #biologia #microbiology #microbiologia #education #educação

So, today is called Wee Wednesday, is it? Here is a wee mushroom that I found last Friday while I was exploring the nature preserve. I would put this mushroom into a group known as “little brown mushrooms” or LBM’s. Now, this may be an easy one to identify by someone more experienced than me. So, let me know if you immediately know what this one is. There are a few genera that I think it may fall under, but I can’t be too sure. LBM’s are a group that mycologists place certain mushrooms, even professional mycologists, when a small to medium-sized brownish mushroom is difficult to identify precisely and is considered not worth the bother to spend the energy and time to identify the species. There are many genera that fall into this group including Alnicola, Naucoria, Panaeolus, Pluteus, Psyathyrella, Psilocybe, Agrocybe, Collybia, Entoloma, Galerina, Gymnopus, Inocybe, Mycena, and Pholiota. One way to at least narrow down the genus list of possibilities would be to do a spore print. Here is a list of LBM genera and their spore prints: Brownish spores (ochre to pinkish-tan to chocolate brown): Agrocybe, Alnicola, Galerina, Inocybe, Naucoria, Pholiota, many Agaricus, some Pluteus Whitish, buff pinkish spores: Collybia White spores: Gymnopus, Mycena Pinkish spores: Entoloma, some Pluteus Dark brown/blackish spores: Panaeolus, Psathyrella, some Agaricus Purplish-brown spores: Psilocybe, some Agaricus I read that this group has also been called the “little boring mushrooms.” I’d say it can sometimes be easy to skip past these more basic looking mushrooms to seek out the colorful exotic looking ones, but when you stop for a moment and soak in interesting aspects of these different genera (comparison of spore prints for example) you may find them to be not so boring after all. #fungi #fungiphotography #weewednesday #mushroom #mushroomphotography #canon #canonphotography #canonphoto #canonphotos #canon _photos #nature #naturephotography #forest #forestphotography #pilze #hongos #fungo #funga #naturefinds #science #biology #mycology #ecology #learn #education #educação #educacion #woods #mushlove #mushroomhunter

Here are a collection of photos of another polypore find. I found this one last Thursday at 7:51pm in the nature preserve. This one was growing on an even smaller branch than the previous one. It was one of those moments where I happened to look down and see this polypore growing on a fallen branch that was mixed in the leaf litter of the forest floor. It nearly blended right into everything else that was on the ground. I was surprised I even noticed it. I believe this is another Cinnamon Bracket, Hapalopilus rutilans. Please, let me know if I am incorrect. #fungi #fungiphotography #canon #canonphotography #canonphoto #canonphotographers #canonphotos #canon _photos #macro #macrophotography #nature #naturephotography #forest #forestphotography #forestfloor #mushroom #mushroomphotography #pilze #schimmel #hongos #fungo #funga #woods #science #biology #microbiology #mycology #ecology #naturelover #mushroomhunter

Is it called Tiny Tuesday? Here are a couple of tiny mushrooms I found over the weekend growing right on the trail. I believe this may be a Psathyrella species. As I was spotting these mushrooms growing directly on the path, I suddenly realized a massive cluster was growing all over and around the trail. Talk about a fun, surprising find! #fungi #fungiphotography #mushroom #mushroomphotography #canon #canonphotography #canonphoto #canonphotographers #canon _photos #canonphotos #pilze #hongos #schimmel #fungo #funga #science #biology #ecology #mycology #nature #naturephotography #naturephoto #forest #forestphotography #forestfloor #woods #tinytuesday #explore #adventure #mushroomhunter

Here are a few photos of a really cool find. I found this polypore on a small branch on the forest floor. I believe this is the Cinnamon Bracket. It was somewhat of a lucky find. I was searching an area that I knew had boletes mushrooms and came across this little branch on the ground with this brownish-orange fungus growing on it. Let me know if it’s something different. Its scientific name is Hapalopilus rutilans. Wow, that’s a fun one to say. It has other nicknames such as the Tender Nesting Polypore and the Purple Dye Polypore. It is a member of the Polyporaceae family of the Polyporales order. This order belongs to the Agaricomycetes class of the Basidiomycota phylum. This mushroom can be found in deciduous forests on rotting wood. It is saprobic. It seems to be found year but its abundance increases in May through November. It has been used to create purple wool dyes. It is also considered toxic and should not be consumed. #fungi #fungiphotography #mushroom #mushroomphotography #canon #canonphotography #canonphoto #canonphotographers #canonphotos #canon _photos #nature #naturephotography #hongos #pilze #schimmel #fungo #funga #science #biology #ecology #microbiology #mycology #learn #education #educação #educacion #educación #woods #mushroomhunter #mushlove

Here is a rather interesting find of some floating sawdust. Floating sawdust? What do you think of this? Not a fungus, but still interesting, nonetheless. I know what is causing it to float but I’ll let you take a guess. 🤭 #fungi #fungiphotography #canon #canonphotography #canonphoto #canon _photos #canonphotos #canonphotographers #nature #naturephotography #forest #forestphotography #forestfinds #naturefinds #forestfloor #science #biology #arachnid #spiderweb #spider #sawdust #magic #magical #mystical #learn #earth #ecology #microbiology #mushroomhunter #woods

Here are a collection of photos of a small group of oysterling mushrooms that my 4 year old daughter found over the weekend. They were in the mulch under some bushes at our house. I think it may be a species of Crepidotus. I’m not entirely sure. My daughter is becoming quite the little mushroom hunter. She also found some birds nest mushrooms that same day out in the yard. Our bed time routine consists of story books and looking at mushroom pictures. 😊 #fungi #fungiphotography #mushroom #mushroomphotography #canon #canonphotography #canon _photos #canonphoto #canonphotos #nature #naturephotography #hongos #fungo #pilze #schimmel #science #naturelover #biology #microbiology #ecology #prouddad #daddydaughter #learn #education #summer #earth #educação #educacion #mushlove #mushroomhunter

Slime Mold Sunday! Here are a collection of photos of what I believe to be some kind of Stemonitis species. I took these photos on Friday using my Canon EOS RP mirrorless camera with a 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM lens. This nature preserve, certainly, is not short on slime molds. I have seen what definitely looks like the chocolate tube slime here. I’ve watched its fruiting bodies develop and then fade away as the forest foragers feast on them over time. This one has a slightly different appearance. If you know what this one is, even the genus name, let me know. #slimemold #slimemoldsunday #slime #slimemoldsofinstagram #slimemoldphotography #slimemolds #slimemoldphoto #fungi #fungiphotograhy #mushroom #canon #canonphotography #canonphoto #canonphotographers #canon _photos #canonphotos #nature #naturephotography #naturephoto #forest #forestphotography #science #biology #microbiology #ecology #pilze #hongos #fungo #schimmel #mushroomhunter

Fungi Friday! Would you go to a mushroom opera? I love finding mushrooms that appear as if they are acting out a scene. I thought of two things when I saw these two little mushies, either a serious opera session was going on or it’s a mushroom kid getting a rough scolding by his or her parent. I prefer the opera session thought. #fungi #fungiphotography #mushroom #mushroomphotography #canon #canonphotography #canonphoto #canonphotographers #canonphotos #canon _photos #nature #naturephotography #opera #ópera #opéra #operahouse #forest #forestphotography #pilze #schimmel #hongos #fungo #fungifriday #science #biology #mycology #ecology #forestfloor #naturefinds #mushroomhunter

June 15th, 2024 photo of a mushroom sentry on duty. What is he guarding, you ask? When I asked him what was in that little cave, he said he didn’t have mushroom to speak. 🤣 This little one was growing next to Goblet Waxcap mushrooms, Hygrocybe cantharellus. I am guessing this is a young Goblet Waxcap. #fungi #fungiphotography #mushroom #mushroomphotography #canon #canonphotography #canonphoto #canonphotographers #canon _photos #nature #naturephotography #pilze #schimmel #hongos #fungo #funga #science #biology #ecology #microbiology #forest #forestphotography #forestfloor #macro #macrophotography #macrophoto #macrophotos #mushroomhunter #mushrooms _of_our_world #explore

Ok. So, I hope this isn’t too inappropriate. Every now and then I find a mushroom whose cap is shaped like a little bum, or Funga Bunga as I call it. I wasn’t going to post this as a reel. I was only going to post a single photo commenting on the cute Funga Bunga I found on one of the Retro Inky mushrooms I found the other day, the one in the reel. When I was setting up my tripod and camera to take the shot, I had accidentally pressed the record button on the camera. I didn’t realize this until my touch screen on the camera would not allow me to zoom in for fine focus. So, when I was back home and reviewing the photos I took that day, I saw the video recording and the short clip I had accidentally recorded with the final photos. They seemed to fit for some kind of reel. But, I couldn’t ignore the fact that this particular mushroom had its mush bum out. So, I figured I’d make the reel about that, lol. I was planning on practicing taking videos of me clearing the leaf litter around a mushroom for photos. I didn’t think I’d be making a reel about mush buns. What do you call a mushroom with cheeky little biscuits like this one? Mushie Tushie, Funga Bunga, or Myco-Moon? Those are my favorite names, lol! 😂 #fungi #reels #reelsinstagram #réel #reel #reelsvideo #funghi #fungo #hongos #schimmel #pilze #funga #science #biology #microbiology #ecology #forest #forestfloor #nature #naturereels #canon #canonphotography #canonvideo #video #videos #vídeo #mycomoon #fungabunga #biscuits #mushroomhunter