Fungus

Andrew, In discussing decay strategies (white and/or soft rot) of annual parasitic and/or saprotrophic Inonotus species, one should consider, that there always is an exception to the general rule of the interaction of an Inonotus species and the tree species under attack defending itself as an individual, i.e. to the tree species specific ecosystem of the tree species and the more or less tree species specific macrofungi concerned. And then there is the aspect of the mycelium either being parasitic or saprotrophic, while the annual fruiting always takes place by decomposition of dead wood as a saprotrophic. - Inonotus dryadeus is listed as biotrophic and/or sometimes necrotrophic parasitic, which means it can (panic) fruit on dead Quercus as long as there is enough cellulose available for the mycelium to "consume" and convert. - Inonotus hispidus is listed as biotrophic parasitic, which means the fruiting stops once the tree dies. - Inonotus cuticularis is listed as saprotrophic. - Inonotus radiatus is listed as saprotrophic. - Inonotus nodulosus is listed as saprotrophic on dead trunks of beech, although bark canker of branches by the mycelium has been documented. - Inonotus rheades is listed as necrotrophic parasitic, but only fruits as a saprotrophic on dead trunks of Populus. - Inonotus obliquus is listed as a biotrophic parasite. - Inonotus dryophilus is listed as biotrophic parasitic. - Inonotus hastifer is listed as parasitic on the mycelium of Antrodiella hoehnelii and saprotrophic on dead wood. Also see : Inonotus strategies.

1. No, macrofungi, which as a rule produce teleomorphs, but are also capable of a-sexually reproducing by conidio- or chlamydiospores, do not leave their a-sexual spores in the vessels, but disperse them by wind (long distance) and/or rain (short distance) from anamorphs produced at the outside of the substrate. 2/3/4. See : Sexual reproduction.

My bet would be on an Agaricus species such as A. arvensis, which has the smell of aniseed and dark brown spores.

No, they are just another type of (a-sexual) reproductive stage.

Tony, 1. Yes, and/or blackening because of bacterial and/or oxygen involvement combined with acids. 2. Not a mutation, but the chlamydiospores producing anamorph Confistulina of F. hepatica.

Geoff, these macro's of a male Episyrphus balteatus (in Dutch Pyjama's hover fly) and depending on the size, a female Eupeodus luniger (in Dutch Terraces hover fly) or E. corollae (in Dutch Big comma hover fly). Also see : Hover fly in flight.

David, Laccaria species are ectomycorrhizal, this one seems to grow at the base of a trunk of an oak (?), so this is Collybia fusipes with the characteristic pointed base of the stipe and the dark red to blackish spots on the cap.

1. Need I say more ? And why don't you first answer my preceding questions before coming up with new links to "research" articles, I am not going to read and comment on anymore ? 2. A typical example of using a fallacy by "argument from a false authority" according to the basic principles of science methodology to "support" one's "case" by using the names of "pseudo-authorities", who have not contributed to forest ecology, mycology and the natural soil food web at all, by a gardener, who lacks the education to understand what scientific research methodology is about and because of that "jumps" to the "reductive fallacy of oversimplification" and the "fallacy of causal reductionism". 3. And your qualifications for performing scientific research in the field of forest ecology, mycology, tree species specific ecosystems and the soil food web are ? Any publications in scientific journals ? This is my final statement on the non-sense subject of charcoal, I will no longer react on whatever the commercial biochar industry and its resellers wants us to believe.

This looks like a hornets' nest.

The plasmodia of myxomycetes have an "open belly" down under, with which the substrate is "grazed" for organic materials (bacteria, algae, spores and hyphae of fungi, rotting plant debris, etc.). Indigestible parts and dead parts of the myxomycete are left behind in the silvery "snail sliding trails", which follow the tracks of the plasmodium while moving about.

Janey, Yes : the second more "popular" name is "Demoiselle" and thanks for adding the information for the U.K.

Tony, : there are two types of damselflies, the Broad-winged damsels (photo 1), which are characterized by a rather clumsy and irregular flight method, and the Narrow-winged damsels (photo 2), which have much better flight capacities. Both fold back their wings while resting. And then there are the Dragonflies (photo 3), which have permanently out stretched wings and even have the capacity to hover or stand still in the air. ---

I just realized, I posted this Caterpillar of the Elephant Hawk-moth, these "Bee" beetles and this Hummingbird Hawk-moth under the wrong thread.

Nice , my bet would be on Psathyrella conopilus in a "dehydrated" phase.

I which the C. micaceus - being a final stage and not very effective white rotter - doesn't contribute much other then "consuming" the remaining bits of wood totally decayed by others.

Matty, Why ? Polyporus squamosus is a completely different ball game then Inonotus hispidus. It's like saying a crow is closely related to a blue tit, because they both are birds or that MattyF and RangerMatt are two of a kind, because they both have Matt in their first name.

This one is owned by the city council of the town of Fleringen. It is one of the three oldest "free standing" pedunculate oaks or "kroesebomen" in the eastern parts of The Netherlands, which in the old days were used for "open air services" by religious communities and that is why close to this tree later a chapel was build. Some of the oldest oaks and beeches were also planted as "markebomen", trees at crossroads or near old farms "marking" the properties of farmers and other landowners such as towns and small cities.

: Fuligo septica.

Matt, Or Pholiota squarrosa ?

good thing it is still attached to the tree. I once took a specimen home and left it on a kitchen table to see what bugs come out, but I didn't get a chance to study it, because the next day my wife was so shocked by the saddle moving about and around the table, that she threw it out .

Matty, Has the (annual ?) bracket fungus on the first photo been identified and with it the type of wood rot it causes ?

The steel rods were placed about 10 years ago, because supporting of the remaining crown of this 400-500 years old Q. robur had become necessary after the right half of the trunk had been brown rotted completely by L. sulphureus (see right side of the earlier photo) at about 3-4 metres height. ---

The bacteria causing it is Pseudomonas mors-prunorum and this (photo) is what the resin looks like on the living cherry tree. ---

Which "bridge" will prove to be stronger, the natural or the steel anchor ? ---

Beech branches "at the X crossroads". ---