Who knew fungi could be so fascinating? Not me when I started taking pictures a few years ago. I soon learned, however, and it became the summer and fall of weirdness. I suppose the conditions were just right at that time, because I haven’t seen the same variety and amounts since then. Even more amazing to me is that more than half of these photos were taken in a small patch of woods behind my house.

I’ve been wanting to consolidate the pictures of ‘shrooms and other fungi I’ve taken since then, so here goes. I’ve included dates for anyone interested in knowing approximately when they’re growing in the Midwest U. S. I’ve also indicated what type of fungi it is if I’m reasonably sure, but if anyone has more information, I’d love to know.

I’m not sure what this is, but it’s growing on a fallen ash tree. There were lots of wood ears and oysters that grew on this log that year, but it’s definitely not an oyster. It may be a wood ear, but it doesn’t look like the fungi I’m more certain are wood ears. July 2016.

These were growing just down the trunk at the same time. Again, I have no idea what it is, and I’ve never seen anything like it since. July 2016.

These were growing on a log in a national forest. As fun as these fungi look, they were some of the more pedestrian types I saw on that trip. July 2016.

Take this one, for example. Same forest a little ways down the creek. I was actually looking for geodes and almost tripped over this tremella. It’s common name is snow fungus and supposedly it’s edible. And while I was thrilled to see it, I think the first person to eat one must have been desperate.

And this! I never imagined something like a coral fungus could exist. I was really straining the limits of my camera and lens here in the shady forest. However, it was wanting to take better photos of these crazy things that led me to sell my custom road bike a few months later for an upgraded camera body that could handle higher ISO levels and therefore take clearer pictures in low light. July 2016.