Tuesday, July 17

Psst, Ernie...

A little bird told me you might like these.
 
And, actually, if anyone can tell me what these are, or how in the world I'd go about identifying them, I'd be much obliged.

My favorite is the white one in the bottom right corner. It's so very different from any of the other (literally dozens) of kinds of fungi we have on the property.

And, um, while we're discussing fungi... any idea how to keep the numbers to a minimum in the regularly populated areas of the property? At least until the small ones stop wanting to eat everything they find.

Dy
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7 comments:

Needleroozer said...

You need a good mushroom guide. Does the preserve next to you have a giftshop? Or maybe the botanical gardens? You could also google for your local mushroom group. I can't think of the name, bue we have several local groups here, that go out shroom hunting, and will help you identify local fungi.

They are beautiful, though!! Makes me want to paint them or do a collage with photos of them, with little fairies flitting about on them.
LB

Dy said...

OK, I think the pretty white one may be Lycoperdon pulcherrimum. Similar to Lycoperdon curtisii (which inevitably makes me think of Testudo aubreii, *grin*), but the spines are longer than on L. curtisii...

This is a hideously addictive hobby. I'm going to stop now, before I end up with a plethora of knowledge about fungi and ugly, unpainted windows on my home.

What'cha think? I think they need fairies. Definitely.

Dy

Needleroozer said...

Well, I will take your word for it on the names at the moment. The Dude is the shroom expert- I just think they are pretty!
I can't stop thinking about fairies! I want to sketch your shrooms, and add some little winged folk!
LB

Melora said...

That little white fluffy one is adorable!
One of my many calls to poison control was about a mushroom one of the kids ate from the yard, so I know just what you mean about wanting to remove them from the lawn. Not that I have any idea How. Actually, what if you used a fertilizer spreader to add lime (or something else) to change the pH of the soil to something that mushrooms don't like. I'll bet your county extension office could tell you what soil chemistry they like and what you should add to change it.

Jenni said...

I love fungi. I don't know much about them, but I love snapping pictures and trying to find the names. And Ernie is still my favorite Sesame Street character:o)

Jenni said...

Check out YouTube for some really educational videos on mushrooms. Wanna know what brings all the mushrooms to your yard? This lovely video answers that question and more:o)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHovwf8Aqb0&mode=related&search=

Ernest said...

Mushies!

Some of those I've never seen before. The one that looks kind of like a tongue and the fluffy fluffball ... very strange and not in my mushroom book. Man, what I wouldn't give for an hour to walk in those woods. Those are some good pictures too. Kudos on your photography.

As for keeping their numbers down, well, you're not going to be able to. They grow when they want to, which is why they've never been able to be cultivated (except for a few wussy varieties). Don't worry so much about the little ones. Except for the Deathcaps and Destroying Angels, almost everything that grows around here isn't super poisonous. Some will just make you sick and others will make you see little orange leprechauns, but very few mushrooms will make you drop dead instantly.