I would like to be involved in the natural sciences if I could live my life over. My life has been with technology - designing computers, aircraft engines, medical systems and teaching mathematics in university. Recently I joined the Queensland Mycological Society (QMS) and began life anew. At a mycology meeting I heard a lot about fungi. One talk mentioned that some insects mouth parts have evolved to fit the shape of particular fungal spores. Some fungi produce as many as five different kinds of spores for different conditions. I was not familiar with many of the technical terms so will have to study.

Some lady produced mushroom shaped candies for the break. Other goodies, some relating to mushrooms were produced.

Members are expected to develop a good knowledge of some group of fungi. Marie and I may specialise in polypores - the kind that grow on wood. We have a couple growing on the corymbia, a eucalypt, in the back yard. I took pictures of them, but nobody at the meeting could identify them.

The society has five tracts of land in different environments so one can study fungi. Sand dunes, wet sclerophyll, dry sclerophyll, rainforest & regenerated land.

We recently had a workshop at the mycological society where we learned how to use microscopes to identify spores. The society is discussing working together with the Queensland museum to produce two books. One would be scientific with monographs on various genera. I signed up for that. The other would be a popular guide so people could recognize the most common species. The other people in the society are a joy to be with.

Fungi interact with trees, humans, insects and other living beings so you learn about them too. What's true for fungi is also true for animals, plants, protoctista and bacteria. Grab a bit of nature for yourself.

I am born again.

Problems I could not solve filled my head
So I with a new marriage did make carouse
Divorced barren reason from my bed
And took the kingdom of the fungus to spouse

Hmmm. Bringing back fond memories of mushroom shakes!

I could have gone for that before I rearranged my life, david - I used to be kept in the dark and fed on sh!t.

Mind you, these days I'm quite a fun guy :)

[Boom boom - I just had to get in first!]

And next we’ll have Fractelle saying that she is a fun gal! (;~{

Wonderful stuff David. Aren’t fungi fascinating!

They constitute a different kingdom, no longer being considered to be plants. They are major nutrient recyclers and have symbiotic relationships with all manner of plants, to the extent that those species can’t survive without them. They are enormously important ecologically, and can also be highly destructive. For example: dieback fungus (Phytophthora cinnamomi) in the jarrah forests and heathlands of WA.

I find fungi absolutely fascinating, but I’m not much into them, mainly because I’m so intensely into plants in particular, and also birds and rocks and ecology in general. I tried to embrace fungi, along with insects, especially butterflies and non-vascular plants, especially mosses. But my head came close to exploding!

It is good that you have found great enjoyment in being associated with a mob of fungal fogies!

Cheers

If I had of gone with my heart rather than my head, I would have been an etymologist. To this day I am still fascinated with the little buggers.

I have only every seen one job opening though. A guy at UQ wanted to go on holidays, and needed someone to look after his collection of lice while he was away. Primarily, this meant you were responsible for ensuring they got feed at regular intervals during the day. The lice were rather picky - they would only feed on fresh human blood, but feeding them was simple enough. They lived in a match box sized container. You strapped it to your arm for while, and then when they were done ensure they were all safely back their box. If you started scratching when finished you went looking for the escapee.

Davidf,

I too have an interest in fungi but from an environmental perspective. I would like to offer a cautionary note for the uninitiated.
A few years a go a woman from Capalaba (just out of Brisbane) who had been collecting and eating field mushies for years went to her favourite spot and collected then cooked her findings. She went in to shock and died within 8 hrs. Her hubby went critical... coma and also nearly died.

The chief fungi expert from the CSIRO herborium tested them and found while looking like the field mushies they were in fact deadly and as then an unknown species.

I happen to have a lengthy conversation with him in which I offer to collect samples from my riparian bush care site.
He told me that less than 20% of fungi in Australia has been described (identified) in science.
As a matter of interest on showing him some snaps he told me that at least 3 of the ten shown were probably unknown to science! If I were to provide him with samples and if they were unnamed He would be prepared to name one after me....I'm not sure if that was a backhanded complement. Sadly I never got the opportunity to sample collect for him.

In SA just Sth of Adelaide there grows a magic(psychedelic)mushie wild. Yahooooooo. However, there are more similar looking poisonous ones.
The chief Scientist at the Coroners office in Adelaide (at the time) told a group I was in that if we are going to eat/smoke etc fungi from the bush ( unless an expert) leave a sample for the coroner so can sure of the cause of death. The local Brisbane expert was of the same mind.

PS One Adelaide hospital at one stage was having at least one mushie victim every month 60%(either died or suffered lasting negative consequences.)

Notwithstanding put me down for a copy of both books

I just love mushrooms, but some of them are very deadly indeed. There is a saying if the top is slimy, dont eat them. We had lots of different types grew in FNQ and it was always a delight to go riding through the bush after the first rain,and find the. They grew on a wide variety of soil types, and grew differently in many places often in huge quantities. All proper mushrooms are a delicacy.

There was a book published listing all the edible Australian mushrooms,but they are just part of the Fungi family. A fungus caused the great Irish Famine,and to grow potatoes in FNQ a fungus control regime is mandatory. Likewise carrots suffer a fungus called alternaria dauci, with which I did battle for many years.

Fish get fungus in fresh water and they have to be given some salt in the water to cure it. I am looking for a fungus to get rid of the smartusses who populate the benches of the Courts of Australia. Maybe we can call it Ruddicus Mclellandionia. It would grow on their salaries, and destroy their superannuation.

More casualties were caused Australian troops in New Guinea from fungus infections, than Japanese bullets. Thrush is a fungus, that girls could get from drinking too much Coopers Ale. Tinea is also a fungus, and copper is one way of controlling it. So if your feet are smelly, you may need a fungicide.

The stories just keep coming.

Ludwig ROFL

When I was at secondary school I was absolutely fascinated by fungi. One of my best science projects in year 8 was all about the life cycle of fungi - yes, I was the class nerd.

Then I discovered a lot more about them in my late teens and was no longer regarded as a nerd.

These days I enjoy spying them out in my garden or on bushwalks. Much safer and wiser.

Ludwig,
What is a simple way to tell the difference between a flutter-bys and moths? I would relish a book that doesn't assume in depth pre-knowledge.

"Butter Flies" of Aus (Braby) is in group level (nymphs etc). poo!
Ant blue life cycle is fascinating (eg vulnerable Illege's ant blue)

I was involved in the re-population of sword grass browns back into a spot near Brisbane. There is still large patches of hygrophelia (gotta love my spellink) their favourite fruit, well plant the colony was surviving at last check towards the end of the drought. The local Butterfly group have some useful booklets.

I dabble in all things nature ecology, i.e. I have a rescued nest of native sting less bees Trigona carbonaria (sgeti bees!) hours of entertainment. "Australian Stingless bees"(John Klump)is simple and extremely informative.

Did I mention spiders/mossies and plants, Symbiotic ground orchids, birds, home brewing and love micro bats and carnivorous plants...Do you know where I can get a triffids? ha hah hah ha (evil laugh, cue Bach's fugue in 'd' minor )I have a little list ;-)
'eAnt wont eat the mushies'(distant evil laugh)

David, as I have mentioned, I have a swamilling business. We have lots of timber of different species, from eucalypts to exotics in various states of decrepitude that is covered in lots of different fungi, none of which I know anything at all about.

I'd be delighted for you and whoever else from the Mycological Society who may be interested to come and observe, sample, study, whatever they wish. My only condition is that I get to learn a little myself.

Graham has my details and you're more than welcome to get them from him to drop me a line.

One thing that is evident in this string is that people who may be at odds in other ways can find common ground in a shared love of nature.

Houllebecq,

Palsied mushrooms?

Good for you, CJ. The ultimate in recycling.

Ludwig:

Have you heard 'Fungal's Cave' by the naturalist composer, Gregor Mendelsohn?

One fungus we found on a foray (great alliterative first line for a song) we were warned not to bring close to our nose as the spores can grow in our lungs and cause great problems.

rstuart:

Most people work for scratch.

PTB:

A fungus did cause the great Irish famine.

No fungus for Feargus
A famine humungous

Thanks for your offer, Antiseptic, I'll be in touch w Graham and see what can be done on Thursday as I will be off until then.

Oh, play that fungi music white boys.

You have some interesting natural hobbies david.

My mother was a great quilter and went through a stage where she would die her own fabric using various types of natural plants such as fungi and lichens found on my parents property in NSW.

I remember being fascinated by the resultant colours - often very different from the actual fungi. Very bright purples, mustardy looking yellows and various shades of green. She made my daughter a skirt which looks very hippy with all its bright coloured panels.

Nice post David. Will your next one be internal fungus, like cancer?
Will you be the one telling the truth about this fungus,I hope so.

“What is a simple way to tell the difference between a flutter-bys and moths?”

Examinator, the classic difference is in the antennae. Butterflies have slender clubbed antennae, while moths have various forms, most classically comb or feather-like, but often simply filamentous without a club.

There are however some butterflies that lack a club and moths with clubbed antennae!

The skippers, which are considered to be butterflies, are pretty moth-like in many respects. In fact, I’d consider them to be closer to moths than butterflies.

Moths are vastly more diverse and numerous than butterflies. In reality, butterflies should just be considered to be one group of moths, or three groups perhaps; the true butterflies, the skippers and the so-called butterfly moths.

Ah yes, Michael Braby’s ‘Butterflies of Australia’. That 2–volume set sits on my bookshelf and is often referred to. What a magnificent biological composition.

David, I remember some years ago while exploring caves as part of a potential new national park, that we should tread gently and not kick up the dirt on the cave floor in areas that were potential ghost bat haunts, as there was a fungus that grew in bat dung which had spores that could grow in your lungs cause you a lot of grief.