Fooled by fungi perhaps not!

[FungiJohn]

Last weekend Nettle Runner Les and I visited Clumber Park In preparation for our WAB foray.

During a productive search on Lime tree avenue and mixed woodland we ventured into a coniferous compartment.

Whilst Les was photographing a group of fungi I came across some Pholiota flammans on a dead conifer log. No big deal, but underneath the log was a perfectly circular golden yellow fungus near identical in colour and texture to the Pholiota. I carefully removed the ‘fungus’ ball and placed it in a better position for photographing. On removing the ‘ball’ I also noticed (and recorded on my digital note taker) yellow remnants which had adhered to the forest floor.

Several images later I encouraged Les to get a move on to view this spectacular find! Les approached the find, laughed out loud and throw the specimen in front of me. It bounced very well indeed

Yes, it was the remains of a rubber ball



I just have to confess … I know nothing about fungi … but I’m sure we all have a similar story to tell!

Have a ball everyone

John

PS the Pholiota flammans was real … honest!

[loripo]

This made me laugh as I find that now I am trying to photograph wildlife I am always 'seeing' fantastic things that turn out to be not so... I saw a perfect chrysalis that looked just like a dried leaf - to find it was just that carefully hooked onto a stick and folded into a triangular shape. And the number of times I've seen larvae that turn out to be lumps of chewing gum

[cybershot]

This incident nearly drove me nuts

Dumontinia ID?

and I've still never seen the species in question

[ron1863]

A Pholiota ballete John

[Beamish]

Hi,

this reminds me on Golfballia ambusta, Dennis.
Golfballia ambusta

As far as I remember Dennis got a rotten golfball for determination as a fungus. With his good sense of humor he descibed and published it and included it in the Kew herbar.

Cheers,

Martin

[Lancashire Lad]

Guess who risked life and limb scrambling 20 metres down a very steep wet and slippery leaf litter covered bank, only to find that the pristine looking emergent Amanita he'd spotted was actually a half buried golf ball.

Regards,
Mike.

[Chris Yeates]

bane of my life is lime fruits - Tilia not the great big green things - I will get fooled on several occasions, season after season

Chris

[diggleken]

Half buried sweet wrappers, light brown leaves at distance, lucozade plastic bottles hidden in debris and the best of all, quite exciting, bits of orange peel............the list goes on.
Sad really, I always have to have a look to make sure, but sometimes needs microscopy too, to make sure they are indiigenous.
Cheers
Ken

[loripo]

Mind you - the metallic green sweet wrapper I spotted in a rose turned out the be a whopping rose chafer and I nearly went away muttering about litter louts