Help with identifying tiny white balls!!

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  • #33099

    Hello.

    First time grower here.

    This is my first year and this is growing on my silver birch log.

    I used pearl oyster dowel plugs.

    This is growing on the top of the log. My question is what are the thousands of tiny little white balls being produced? They are from 1mm to 2mm in size. Completely loose.

    Sure this is something obvious but I can’t find any info that helps.

    Thanks in advance.

    Alex.

    #46709
    Lancashire Lad
    Keymaster

      Hi, and welcome to the UK Fungi website.

      The bracket fungus in you photo isn’t Oyster Mushroom, but one of the typical bracket fungi that grow on fallen decaying logs. (Possibly Turkeytail).

      I’d suggest that the “white balls” are maturing fruitbodies of a myxomycete (Slime mould) which is growing on the bracket fungus.

      It could be that the myxomycete’s plasmodium stage (which would have actively moved around, albeit very very slowly, looking for nutrients), might have been “feeding” upon the bracket fungus.

      Once a myxomycete decides it’s time to fruit, (triggered by some chemical signal), the plasmodium loses the ability to move and morphs into the actual fruitbodies.

      Those in your photo, being white, are fairly typical of the first stage of that process. – They will harden and change colour over the coming days, and when fully mature, will split open (dehisce) to release their spores.

      Regards,

      Mike.

      #46710

      Thank you,. very much appreciated.

      #46711

      Should I be removing these? Will it effect the oysters when they do start to grow?

      #46712
      adampembs
      Keymaster

        Clarence wrote:


        Should I be removing these? Will it effect the oysters when they do start to grow?

        Myxos typically feed on bacteria and surface debris, and move on. Worth a read up on myxomycetes, they are fascinating. Some good You Tube videos on them.

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