Slime moulds

There are more things on heaven and earth etc etc and Slime Moulds are some of those things that many people don't know about. We only see the fruiting bodies of these organisms but don't see the mass of material inside the host. They occur for a few days and then disappear.

Bruce Ing formerly of the University of Chester ran a course on micro fungi in spring 2012 and hopefully will run another in 2014. His visit sparked my interest in slime moulds and I have been spotting some around the FSC Preston Montford estate this year.

Here are some photographs of slime moulds fruiting bodies developing and decaying at PM this year

Slime moulds often develop on decaying wood or trees and the one below grew on a pile of wood chippings produced when the willows around the Centre waste water treatment system was pollarded earlier in the year. It is a species called Fuligo septica and this is only the third time it has been recorded in Shropshire and will be added to our Wildlife Report for 2012

Fuligo septica is similar to a famous slime mould known for obvious reasons as Dog's Vomit Slime mould