We’re really getting a taste of high summer now with frequent thunderstorms, 90 degree temperatures, and high humidly. As soon as that happens I start thinking about fungi and slime molds because those are the conditions that many of them prefer. Unfortunately slime molds can be difficult to identify and, even after hours of looking through books and online, I still can’t identify the tiny transparent slime mold in the above photo. Some slime molds start life transparent and then change both their shape and color, which doesn’t help. They also often grow in very dark places, so some of these photos were taken under LED light.
The reason slime molds interest me is because they are very beautiful, and also fascinating. Nobody really seems to know exactly how they move, but they do. When the microorganisms that they feed on become scarce, many of these single celled organisms meld together and move toward food as a single entity. The white finger slime (Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa var. fruticulosa) in the above photo reminded me of a bed of kelp under the sea, all swaying in unison to the pull of a tide only they can feel.
I’ve never seen this slime mold before and I was surprised to see the tiny gray starbursts, which must have been 1/16 of an inch or less, when I looked at the photo. I couldn’t see them in person because they were too small. I haven’t been able to identify them but I think that they are beautiful things. This photo was taken with the aid of an LED light.
As slime molds go, this many headed slime (Physarum polycephalum) is usually large and easy to see. This one covered the base of a tree. It was in its plasmodial stage and on the move. This photo was also taken with the aid of an LED light.
According to Wikipedia “a plasmodial slime mold is enclosed within a single membrane without walls and is one large cell. This super cell (a syncytium) is essentially a bag of cytoplasm containing thousands of individual nuclei.” Slime molds aren’t plants and they aren’t fungi. They come closer to being amoebas than anything else and are believed by some to have simple brains. My question is, how do they know what the others are “thinking?” They seem to have the same “group think” abilities as a school of fish or a flock of birds, and that is quite amazing.
No need for LED with this scrambled egg (Fuligo septica) slime mold. It is one of a handful that can be found in full sun. The example in the photo is in its spore bearing phase and has formed a mass called an aethalium. Once it has released its spores and completed its life cycle it begins to darken and degrade into a dark red liquid that resembles blood, which can also be seen in the photo. This slime mold feeds on wood and is often found in mulch beds. This one was on a white pine stump.
One of my favorite shapes in the slime mold world is found in these honeycombed, dome shaped fruiting bodies of coral slime (Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa var. porioides). They are so small and delicate that one swipe of a finger could wipe out hundreds of them. To find them I look at logs after a rain; to the naked eye they look like white powder on the side of the log. Luckily a shaft of sunlight lit this area enough so I didn’t have to use artificial lighting for this photo.
In this photo, also in natural light, it looked like individual coral slime plasmodia were moving together to form a single mass. Slime molds can reach speeds of up to 1.35 mm per second, which is the fastest rate recorded for any micro-organism.
Slime molds aren’t the only tiny things that like to grow in dark places. I had to use a flash to get a shot of these yellow coral fungi (Ramariopsis laeticolor.) Each one was no bigger in diameter than a piece of cooked spaghetti, and they stood all of a quarter inch high.
I should say that, though slime molds and fungi like growing in dark places everything needs at least some light, and as I wandered the forest getting some of these photos one morning, I noticed that shafts of cool morning sunlight fell directly on or very near where they grew. Just because we may find them growing “in the dark,” and even though they don’t photosynthesize, that doesn’t mean that they don’t get an hour or two of sunlight each day. Sunlight also brings warmth and as I’ve studied fungi and slime molds over the years I’ve wondered if the reason they grow in a shaft of sunlight is because the soil is warmer there.
Dead man’s fingers (Xylaria polymorphaare) are a type of fungi that often look like a human finger. This one growing out of a crack in a beech log didn’t, but that was because it was a young example. They change their appearance as they age. This one had water droplets on it.
As they age dead man’s finger fungi begin to darken. The lighter areas are covered with spores that are produced in early stages of their development. These fungi cause soft rot in the wood they grow on. Insects or slugs seem to love them, judging by the damage on these examples.
In the final stages of their life dead man’s finger fungi darken until they turn black, and then they simply fall over and decompose. These examples grew at the base of a maple stump. It doesn’t take a very vivid imagination to see what almost look like fingernails on a couple of them. Maybe I should have saved these photos for Halloween.
Even on its lowest setting the LED light I use to photograph mushrooms and slime molds casts a shadow, so I use tissue paper as a diffuser to make the light softer. This photo of these little pinwheel mushrooms (Marasmius rotula) shows what happens when I forget the tissue paper. I’ve been trying to think of a way to eliminate the tissue paper altogether but so far haven’t had any brilliant ideas.
Witches butter (Tremella mesenterica) comes to life when it rains and can swell up dramatically from the hard, dark orange flake form that it takes in dry weather. I find this jelly fungus on tree limbs but it can also be a parasite on other types of fungi. The tremella part of its scientific name comes from the Latin tremere which means “to tremble,” and it does tremble just like gelatin. The mesenterica part of the scientific name is a combination of the Greek mesos, meaning “middle” and the prefix entero meaning “intestine.” Though the example in the photo doesn’t show it, the shape of this fungus often looks quite intestinal.
This is an excellent example of why we should pay attention to scientific names. The description provided by the scientific name of this fungus describes it perfectly in every detail, whereas “witches butter” tells us absolutely nothing, except maybe that the folks who roamed medieval forests were highly superstitious.
These are the largest split gill fungi (Schizophyllum commune) that I’ve ever seen; easily 3/4 of an inch across. The “gills” on the split gill fungus are actually folds on its underside that split lengthwise when it dries out. The splits close over the fertile surfaces as the mushroom shrivels in dry weather. When rehydrated by rain the splits reopen, exposing the spore-producing surfaces to the air, and spores are released. Split gills grow on every continent except Antarctica and are said to be the most studied mushrooms on earth.
This hot humid weather brings out other creatures too. I’ve seen pink slugs eating fungi many times, but this one leaned more towards yellow-orange and must have been 2 inches long. It was quite dark where it was so I had to use the flash. Slug identification seems close to impossible, at least for me, so I can’t tell you its name.
Beauty is certainly a soft, smooth, slippery thing, and therefore of a nature which easily slips in and permeates our souls. ~Plato
Thanks for stopping in.
It is wonderful and the pictures are unbelievably clear and true.
What a pleasure looking at the fungi ! Where do these grow ?
ie Can they be found only in certain climates or parts of the world? Thanks for great work!
Thank you Marilyn. Fungi grow all over the world but I find them here usually a day or two after a good rain in summer. So far this year it has been very dry, so there aren’t many to see.
[…] googled for similar photographs and discovered this one quite possibly may be a Many-Headed Slime (Physarum polycephalum). The […]
[…] good photos of the smaller flowers like the black medic and hop trefoil, until Allen’s latest post on slime molds. Don’t let the name slime mold fool you, Allen captured some truly incredible photos of some […]
Thanks for the mention Jerry!
Most interesting, highly informative, and exquisitely photographed. Thanks!
Thank you Jim!
Your photos are absolutely beautiful. You always remind me of how easy it is to miss wonderful things.
Thanks! Unless you were looking for slime molds you’d probably rarely see them, but I think that they’re worth looking for.
Ewww….not exactly sure I find these beautiful, especially dead man’s finger fungi!!! Fascinating, though! I have had the scrambled egg variety, usually in my garden on the bark mulch. Such a great, informative post!! Slugs around here are so “pretty” sporting their pastels. In Scotland recently, we came across a very large jet black slug!! Stuff of nightmares!
Thanks Jocelyn. I agree that slime molds probably aren’t for everybody but I think it’s the unfortunate name more than anything else that turns people off. I would have loved to have seen that black slug!
You photographs are wonderful. Slime moulds are fascinating things and I had never seen such beautiful pictures showing their diversity. The quote is perfect too! Amelia
Thank you. I’m glad that you find slime molds fascinating. Seeing the different reactions that people have towards them is interesting. I wonder if Plato was thinking of them when he said that.
Beautiful and fascinating things! I admire everything you find!
Thank you Montucky. It seems to get more beautiful and interesting out there every day.
The things you find out there, Allen! Interesting post…yet again. 🙂
Thanks Scott. Sometimes I feel like I’ve hardly scratched the surface.
Wow! Who knew slime molds were so interesting & so beautiful? Thanks for sharing these amazing photos and all of your detailed research.
You’re welcome. They’re worth searching those dark places for!
Bravo. Those are some great macro shots. I learn something every time I visit here.
Thanks! I also learn quite a lot by doing them.
I would like to think that we don’t have the same variety of slime moulds as you which is why I have never seen any but I suspect that I could see some if I knew where to look. Fantastic pictures in every sense of the word.
Thank you. I know that they grow all over the world, but there is little information in print and I’m not sure what you have in Scotland. If, after a rain on a warm, humid day you look at logs with no bark that lie in shaded places, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if you found quite a few.
Thank-you so much for this beautiful post. I have read everyone else’s comments and agree with all who praise you.
Thank you Julie. They really should be praising nature-I’m just a reporter with a camera.
I am in awe. Who would have thought I’d be blown away by fungi. Thank you for the marvelous pictures and information.
You’re welcome Diana. There are surprises around every corner out there but sometimes we have to look a little closer to see them.
Wow! You’ve done many great posts in the past, but this one is awesome! Great macro photography, great information! I’ve never seen anything like most of the slime molds that you photographed, I guess I haven’t been looking close enough. I may have to spend a day this weekend looking for the ones that I can find around here.
Thanks Jerry! With eyesight like yours you shouldn’t have any trouble finding them. I’d start out looking at logs with no bark left on them. It does need to be quite warm and humid to get them active though, and I know that isn’t your favorite weather. (Or mine either!)
Well, if the weather is going to be warm and humid, I’d just as soon be in the shade of the woods looking for slime molds than out in the hot sun! 😉 Thanks for the tips!
I know what you mean! It’s finally cooling off a bit now here.
The diversity of form and color is so stunning. You did an amazing job capturing this with your photos.
Thank you Charlie. What I’ve shown here is barely the tip of the iceberg. It’s astounding how many shapes and colors slime molds come in.
I sure learned a lot with this post! “Slime mold” hasn’t been in my vocabulary … and might be added. Enjoyed!!
Thanks! They really fascinate me.
I admire your ability to see beauty in slime molds. They are interesting, though. Good post.
Thanks! I know they aren’t for everybody, but I think everyone should at least get a chance to see them.
cool pictures and great information!! 🙂 Love the slug picture but you can keep him, don’t want him to get my hostas!
Thanks Michael. I know what you mean-slugs can do some serious damage to hosta leaves. He’d starve to death in my yard though, because the deer have eaten all the hosta leaves this year.
I loved this post! Amazing information. Such an unknown subject by most: very interesting! Great work as always!
Thank you Meredith. It’s true that these tiny things go unnoticed by most of us. I’m hoping posts like this will show people what they’re missing out there.
A wonderful of collection.
Thank you Ben!
Alan, your photography is surreal and only gets better. Love the scrambled egg. I learn so much from your blog and every time I find myself out walking I slow down now and look for things you have introduced me to. What a wonderful pursuit of life you have.
Thank you Martha, I appreciate that. I’m glad to hear that you find yourself looking for the hidden beauties out there. After a while you’ll see more and more of them and at times it might seem like they are finding you. They really are all around us and are often quite remarkable.
Those are some great macro shots of little known and under appreciated species. I like your LED diffuser idea — have to keep that in mind.
Thanks Sue. The tissue paper works great as long as you remember it. I seem to have trouble doing so.
Reblogged this on Writing Out Loud and commented:
Bliss in darkness, just forget someone called it slime.
My writing has been tuning into the good that comes from dark, not just with light, but with angst and shadows of ourselves. I wonder if slime would be more acceptable as to its good side if we had called it yogurt or pudding. If in reverse these products had been called slime, there would be no Yoplait. Case in point, McDonalds didn’t do well when slime reached its plate.
Did McDonalds try to sell slime? I don’t remember that but I never eat there so I’m not surprised.
It is an unfortunate name because slime molds are neither slimy nor moldy. Whoever came up with the name in this case really didn’t know what they were talking about.
If given the opportunity, what would you call it? I am stuck, but then again that is what slime does, right? :>)
Slime is kind of sticky, but slime molds aren’t really slimy and people do eat them in soups. I’m not sure what I’d call McDonald’s food but a lot of people seem to like it. Billions, according to their sign.
Sorry, I meant what you call nature’s slime instead of slime if you had the opportunity.
That’s a good question. I’m glad that I don’t have to name it because I can’t really think of anything that fits it, in either Latin or English.
You have a way of making small things beautiful. I wonder if any of those molds are edible. Can one slather the witches butter on the dead man’s fingers and nibble it with a Chianti chaser and live to tell about it?
Thank you Sven. Actually yes, in China the scrambled egg slime mold is eaten when it is young and in its transparent state, and they also put many types of jelly fungi in soups. I think I’d have a hard time getting them down, but to each his own.
Oh, my. Remind me to stick to Panda Express! Thank you.
You’re welcome. I don’t blame you!
Thanks for sharing your photos and knowledge of a very fascinating subject.
You’re welcome. Bring your macro lens!
Very neat post about some fascinating fungi! The coral slime mold is beautiful.
Thanks Laura, I think so too.
I never thought that slime molds could be so beautiful and so interesting.
They really are. It’s a shame that many can’t be seen without some type of magnification.
Weird and wonderful posting. Most of the specimens you highlighted seem almost alien, but your amazing photos and fascinating facts really held my interest throughout the entire post. I am not sure that I would want a daily visual of molds and fungi, but they do have a certain kind of beauty.
Thanks Mike. They also play an important part in the function of a forest, but I didn’t seem to have anymore room to talk about that! Slime molds are such beautiful things and it’s a shame that more people don’t see them.
What can I say….I am blown away by your pictures….they are truly amazing…..I would have several enlarged and put on display….you are very talented.
Thank you very much Sue, I appreciate your saying so. I do occasionally get photos enlarged to give to friends and family.