16 February 2009

Can anyone identify this "cat food fungus" ?



Normally we try to recycle our organic material through the compost bin in the backyard, but in the winter with two feet of snow on the ground that becomes impractical at times. Last winter when we had surplus soft canned cat food, we stored it in a plastic bowl in the garage.

It stayed frozen through the winter, but as spring approached the old cat food surprised us by sprouting a magnificant crop of some kind of fungus. [Or it could be a slime mold - I have no idea]. It looked like black hair, and up close there appeared to be some type of fruiting bodies on the stalks.

I searched the 'net, but came up short. I wonder whether there's a TYWKIWDBI visitor with experience in mycology who can offer an educated guess as to the identity of this interesting growth.

Update: Thanks! and a tip of the hat to "Kentyman," who, within a couple hours of my posting this, identified it as Phycomyces nitens. Many pix at the link, growing on bread and cat dung! It has also been reported growing under bird feeders filled with Nyger seed, presumably growing on bird droppings rather than the fallen seeds. We have thistle feeders at the house too, so I'm sure the I.D. is correct.

6 comments:

  1. This looks like it:

    http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/forums/showthread.php?t=34791

    This was my search:

    http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=black+hair+like+fungus+inches

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  2. Here's what they ended up coming up with.

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  3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phycomyces

    You have a little phototropism champ. :)

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  4. what I can tell you is it is not slime mold as this is a dark grey powder that will accumulate on cetain grasses, blue grass being one of those. there is also a lawn disease known as "powdery mildew" which is white and sticks more to the grass blades, slime mold removal tool= a broom.

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  5. Hi, just discovered this growing on my dog's dry food. I'm fairly certain he didn't eat it (as he never eats his dry food), but I am wondering if it is dangerous if inhaled. (His water bowl was right next to it.) VERY freaked out/worried.

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    Replies
    1. You're unlikely to get any responses to your query here, because the post is two years old.

      You may be able to search the web for Phycomyces info re pets and inhalation, or just phone your vet and ask him/her.

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