Mould? ID in house

[htcdude]

Hi all,

Found this on the bedroom wall tonight, can someone tell me what it is and how it might have gotten there?? It projected about 1cm off the wall.



Thanks,

Nige

[stickman]

Hi Nige

Bizarrely, this looks a little like a myxomycete (which might explain it's sudden appearance) - possibly a Stemonitis sp.

Look carefully at the bottom of the long 'cylinder' type structures - are they on thin, hair like stalks?

Cheers,
Nick

Edit: Is that a crack in the wall I can see? It might have (quite literally) crawled in!




.

[Lancashire Lad]

How very unusual.

Viewing at largest size, at certain angles to the screen, parts of those clumps look very much like mature Stemonitis species.

Regards,
Mike.

[htcdude]

After I posted I cleared it up, as it's in my daughters bedroom and didn't think it be good to leave it hanging around.



Maybe this will help with ID, but when I brushed it off the wall it completely crumbled and looked like coffee powder!

Nige

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by htcdude

After I posted I...when I brushed it off the wall it completely crumbled and looked like coffee powder!...

Hi Nige,

That's exactly what happens when mature Stemonitis are handled!
If you do a web search for images of Stemonitis fusca for example, I'm sure that you will see something very like what you had.

If that's what it was, then it was indeed a slime mould rather than a fungus or a true mould.
I've never heard of one growing on a bedroom wall before. - They are usually found growing on decaying tree trunks etc.

I think that there would be very little chance of any more appearing.

Regards,
Mike.

[htcdude]

Thanks for that Mike. I can't find a pic of the crumbly (mature) version of it.

We have problems with a leak behind the shower at the moment which I think is what has caused it. The mould was growing off the wooden skirting and through the paintwork in the bedroom. When I pulled some of the paint back it was a bit brown over a lot of the wood. I'll keep an eye on it

Nige

[Lancashire Lad]

This was one that I took earlier this year.
When I passed the same spot about an hour later, something/someone had touched it and it was just a pile of powder.



Regards,
Mike.

[htcdude]

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

This was one that I took earlier this year.
When I passed the same spot about an hour later, something/someone had touched it and it was just a pile of powder.



Regards,
Mike.

Weird stuff! I'll keep a lookout, out house is quite old and we've had various mould problems in the 18months we've been there

Nige