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Project Noah Nature School
Stachybotrys chartarum?
This mold appears to be a result of psyllid activity. Black Sooty Molds are generally caused by a range of Ascomycete fungi. Stachybotrys chartarum is one possible scientific name. There is not just one species that is responsible for black sooty molds as it is a general term.
This type on yellow box gum Eucalyptus melliodora.
This sequence shows a few remaining lerps and the mold infestation that followed. It seems the lerps (shelters) are made of a sugary waxy substance and the psyllids (animals) which shelter in them also produce a sweet 'honeydew' which covers surfaces wherever they roam. The mold then grows on the honeydew. This explains why the lerps don't appear to be the centre of mold infestation but are always in the area. Black molds can be a very toxic and it is almost everywhere. Read more about mold sickness here... http://www.moldillness.org/Mold_Symptoms...
Spotted on Feb 19, 2012
Submitted on Feb 19, 2012
7 Comments
They make quite a mess, don't they. I'm probably going to look at fungi soon but I don't think I will start with this one.
thanks argybee, it get just more intresting !! :)
I'm not fully clear on the chemistry nor have I made a good job of telling how the lerps, scale and sooty mold are related. Whenever the lerps appear they are always followed by some amount of sooty mold.- something to do with the sugars in the lerps I think. The lerps are well described here...
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/866...
but I'll need to read the chemistry of why sooty mold follows.
what's the white structure. looks like the vertebra of some snake, or so !! not really bone but cartilage. do you have an idea what it is ?? or does it actually belong to the sooty mold !!!
yes , here too. it's already 2h later dark, it's getting a bit warmer, the snow melted, it's more rainy, i hope my new fungi-year started now too. :) will go tomorrow out again, hope to find some treasures !!
Thanks Alex.
It's coming to the season for fungi and molds in this part of the world so I'm looking forward to capturing and learning some new stuff.
nice spotting argybee, intresting !