fungus

A gardener in Sussex, UK has found an unusual fungus growing in their garden and asked mycologists to help identify it. They believe it could be the uncommon crown-tipped or candelabra fungus (Artomyces pyxidatus), though they concede it may instead be upright coral (Ramaria stricta) and remain unconvinced. Nature enthusiasts are weighing in on which species it is.

Walkers have shared photos of fly agaric mushrooms found during an afternoon stroll, showing off the fungus's distinctive red cap with white spots. The sighting fits a seasonal pattern, as fly agaric typically appears in autumn alongside birch and pine trees. Nature photography communities are sharing similar fungi finds.

A nature enthusiast reported finding several woodland fungi during a ten-mile walk, including Panthercap, Common Earthball, False Deathcap and Pleated Inkcap. The finder described the haul as nothing spectacular but nonetheless a set of nice finds, sharing photographs of the four species. The post has drawn modest attention from wildlife and fungi enthusiasts.

Researchers have identified weaknesses in the growth machinery of a fungal pathogen that devastates wheat crops, a finding that could guide new antifungal strategies to protect harvests. The work targets the cellular mechanisms the fungus relies on to grow and spread, offering a potential route for crop protection at a time when wheat diseases threaten global food supplies.

Researchers have identified the RNA splicing machinery as a critical vulnerability in a lethal fungal pathogen, according to new coverage of the findings. The discovery could open the door to drug strategies that disrupt the fungus at the molecular level, where it cannot easily adapt, offering hope for better treatments against drug-resistant fungal infections.

A newly described fungus species, Inocybe tumericolor, has been documented from China and published in the journal MycoKeys. The announcement highlights the species' formal taxonomic treatment and open-access publication data. Mycology enthusiasts are sharing the find as part of the weekly Fungi Friday conversation, celebrating ongoing discoveries of fungal biodiversity.

A naturalist walking through Carr's Wood near Bath reported finding hundreds of tiny Dacne rufifrons beetles clustered on the underside of an old Dryad's Saddle fungus. The species is one of the so-called pleasing fungus beetles, from the family Erotylidae. The sighting is drawing interest from nature and wildlife enthusiasts following UK insect observations.

Nature photographers are sharing close-up shots of Auricularia, the jelly ear fungus, growing in Appalachia this fall. One image shows a slug grazing on the fungus, drawing warm reactions from the mushroom and fungi photography community, with people praising the macro detail and the glimpse of everyday forest ecology.

Mycetozoa, or slime molds, are drawing attention as organisms that defy easy classification. Neither fungi nor plants, they live as single-celled microbes about 10 micrometers across in the soil, feeding on bacteria. When conditions call for it, the cells merge into a mobile, millimeter-long collective that moves as one. Nature enthusiasts are sharing the strange biology of these multiform life forms, highlighting how individual cells cooperate to behave like a single animal-like organism.

A wild mushroom is shown connected to a synthesizer, seemingly producing musical sounds, in a quirky video circulating online. People are sharing it for its surreal charm, with the fungus treated as an unlikely performer. No details on how the setup works or who created it have been reported.

A photographer has shared a macro image of a moss bell fungus as part of an ongoing 365-day photography project. The shot highlights the small green fungus among moss, tagged with nature and macro photography hashtags. It is drawing modest attention from wildlife and nature photography communities.

Nature photographers are sharing close-up images of a small fungus nicknamed the 'forbidden cupcake', tagged with autumn, moss and guttation themes. The shots show droplets exuded by the fungus, a phenomenon known as guttation that makes the fruiting body look like a tiny frosted cake. Posts are circulating in wildlife and nature photography communities.

Nature photographers are sharing images of the common puffball, a widespread fungus, photographed among autumn moss. The photos are circulating in wildlife and fungi enthusiast circles, with viewers exchanging appreciation for seasonal mushroom photography and discussion of fungi found in woodlands at this time of year.

Researchers report that they have removed the defensive mechanisms of a deadly fungus, transforming a previously static drug — one that merely halted fungal growth — into a fungicidal agent that actively kills the pathogen. The advance could improve treatment options for dangerous fungal infections, an area where drug development has lagged and resistance is a growing concern.