I recently found a cluster of brown hairy looking growth on a log, lying on the ground, in the back garden. The log is exposed, in full sun to partial shade and clear of overhanging vegetation. The growth lasted for over a week until the consistent rain slowly dissolved the mould. The hairlike tendrils were soft to touch. I have never seen this before and the clusters were in a figure 8 or infinity sign.
Keron, from the Urban Wildlife Gardens subcommittee, used iNaturalist to identify it as the Chocolate Tube Slime Mold. Nature keeps showing me new amazing species, I am always learning and in awe of nature’s often weird and wonderful diversity.
Leonie Stephens (Lake Macdonald)
