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18-06-2006, 07:00 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Somerset, UK
Posts: 1,073
| | | What the heck is this!? haha
Sorry if this posting is in the wrong forum, but I took a photo this morning and I am not sure exactly what it is.... 
It's attached to a dead apple tree and definately wasn't there last night when I was looking at the tree. It was soft to the touch, so I'm thinking its an egg casing of some kind but of what? Any suggestions gratefully received  |
18-06-2006, 07:03 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Cornwall..
Posts: 1,476
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
Start running now Gaina..............Jon  |
18-06-2006, 07:14 PM
|  | Dame Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North Kent
Posts: 6,535
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
Could it be a weird and wonderful fungi of some kind? Hope Fungijohn sees it. ww
__________________
The female of the species is more deadly than the male.:p |
18-06-2006, 07:19 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: London
Posts: 2,064
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
It looks huge in the picture, how big is it really? |
18-06-2006, 07:40 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Little village called Chedworth
Posts: 4,828
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
Spider egg sac? |
18-06-2006, 11:11 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Somerset, UK
Posts: 1,073
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Jonny Start running now Gaina..............Jon | Haha oh it's not that big, I just have a good macro on my camera. It's maybe about an inch from top to bottom. Believe me if there was ANY chance of an 8-legged freak coming out of a sack that size I'd be on the first plane out of here! 
I forgot to say its silky to the touch and was a bit tacky (I only touched it very gently so I didn't disturb any residents). |
19-06-2006, 08:26 AM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 923
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Gill Catton Spider egg sac? | I'll go with that-you can just about see the individual eggs beneath the silk coating. |
19-06-2006, 08:41 AM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Little village called Chedworth
Posts: 4,828
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Gaina Haha oh it's not that big, I just have a good macro on my camera. It's maybe about an inch from top to bottom. Believe me if there was ANY chance of an 8-legged freak coming out of a sack that size I'd be on the first plane out of here!
I forgot to say its silky to the touch and was a bit tacky (I only touched it very gently so I didn't disturb any residents). |
Won't be one big spider, lots of tiny spiderlings all ready to start eating your greenfly and midges!!! |
19-06-2006, 08:51 AM
|  | Knight of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sheffield
Posts: 5,419
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
It's ' Enteridium lycoperdon' Gaina. A Slime Mould.
No fear of any 8 legged creepie crawlies with this one but approach carefully just in case
John |
19-06-2006, 08:57 AM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Little village called Chedworth
Posts: 4,828
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
Quote: |
Originally Posted by FungiJohn |
wow I had no idea slime moulds produced shapes like this, I've only ever seen them looking rather like someone's had an accident - sometimes after eating red leicester....
Is it a fruiting body or just a specific growth pattern for a limited number of species? |
19-06-2006, 11:04 AM
| | Knight of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sheffield
Posts: 5,419
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Gill Catton wow I had no idea slime moulds produced shapes like this, I've only ever seen them looking rather like someone's had an accident - sometimes after eating red leicester....
Is it a fruiting body or just a specific growth pattern for a limited number of species? | Hope this helps Gill
Slime moulds were once placed in the kingdom fungi but now belong to a group called Protoctista (Protista).
They are composed of a mass of protoplasm (plasmodium) rather than hyphae (mycelium). They move in a similar way to a giant amoeba, flowing over a surface ingesting any organic matter in its path.
After a very short time the plasmodium transforms into spore bearing fruit bodies or fructifications. Gaina's photo is the end result.
Well you did ask
Incidently, going back to the 8 legged creepy crawlies bit, you may be interested in some recent research carried out with slime moulds. http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8718
Quite extraordinary don't you think |
19-06-2006, 11:32 AM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Little village called Chedworth
Posts: 4,828
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
Quote: |
Originally Posted by FungiJohn Hope this helps Gill
Slime moulds were once placed in the kingdom fungi but now belong to a group called Protoctista (Protista).
They are composed of a mass of protoplasm (plasmodium) rather than hyphae (mycelium). They move in a similar way to a giant amoeba, flowing over a surface ingesting any organic matter in its path.
After a very short time the plasmodium transforms into spore bearing fruit bodies or fructifications. Gaina's photo is the end result.
Well you did ask
Incidently, going back to the 8 legged creepy crawlies bit, you may be interested in some recent research carried out with slime moulds. http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8718
Quite extraordinary don't you think |
Yes I was aware of a lot of that - really quite weird! - I didn't know about the fruiting body bit though. I have a feeling that the study of this group is going to continue to lead to suprises!! |
19-06-2006, 11:35 AM
|  | Frozen | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.E. Lincolnshire
Posts: 4,130
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
Quote: |
Originally Posted by FungiJohn | Yeah but what's exceptional about that John! I know a few people that have Slime Mould for brains, and they can function quite well |
19-06-2006, 11:43 AM
| | Knight of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sheffield
Posts: 5,419
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Alan Yeah but what's exceptional about that John! I know a few people that have Slime Mould for brains, and they can function quite well | We have a different but similar term in sheffield .... I'm sure you're familiar with it too |
19-06-2006, 11:47 AM
| | Knight of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sheffield
Posts: 5,419
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Gill Catton Yes I was aware of a lot of that - really quite weird! - I didn't know about the fruiting body bit though. I have a feeling that the study of this group is going to continue to lead to suprises!! | I think so too Gill. One intelligent animal really |
19-06-2006, 12:35 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Somerset, UK
Posts: 1,073
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
D'you know, I've learned more in the last 3 days about what's in my garden than I have in quite a while.
I knew I'd like it here  |
19-06-2006, 01:24 PM
| | Knight of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sheffield
Posts: 5,419
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Gaina D'you know, I've learned more in the last 3 days about what's in my garden than I have in quite a while.
I knew I'd like it here | And you're very welcome Gaina. That's what WAB is all about
John |
19-06-2006, 02:02 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Little village called Chedworth
Posts: 4,828
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
Quote: |
Originally Posted by FungiJohn |
eeuurrgghhhh!!!!! (no offence meant!!)
Looks like something removed during surgery!! or possibly custard, not sure which!! |
19-06-2006, 02:09 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Somerset, UK
Posts: 1,073
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Gill Catton eeuurrgghhhh!!!!! (no offence meant!!)
Looks like something removed during surgery!! or possibly custard, not sure which!! | Eww!  Haha My mum just had a look and says it reminds her of a melted face |
19-06-2006, 03:09 PM
| | Dame Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North Kent
Posts: 6,535
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
There sure are some strange things on this planet. Wonder how many lifetimes you'd need to live to learn it all. Amazing stuff. ww
__________________
The female of the species is more deadly than the male.:p |
22-06-2006, 05:01 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Somerset, UK
Posts: 1,073
| | | Re: What the heck is this!? haha
It's gone. Vanished. I hope it's not one of thse blobs like in that cheesy old horror movie and about to suck me up in my sleep! Hahaha......
Seriously, do any animals eat that thing? There's absolutely no evidence that it was ever on the tree.  | | |
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