Slime Mold ( trichia decipiens )
Top 9 Secret Facts About Slime Molds:
Once thought to be in the same groups as mushrooms (fungi), now they are classified as a type of amoeba (single-celled organism).
There are over 900 species.
They are most commonly found in lawns, soil, floors of forests, and even on rotting logs. In tropical areas they will be found on fruits and tree canopies. In cities, slime mold can be located in leaf mold, mulches, gutters, and inside air conditioners, especially those that may have blocked drainage.
Don’t worry, slime molds are harmless. They prefer feasting on bacteria from decaying leaves rather than your brain. However, if you have allergies, the spores may cause some sneezing.
Some slime molds take odd shapes and have names that match- like ‘dog vomit’ and ‘bird poop.’
Slime molds reproduce by releasing their version of seeds, called spores.
When you see slime mold in your yard or on a tree trunk, it’s really lots of slime molds coming together, like a transformer or a lego ship.
Most slime molds spend their days alone and unseen (microscopic). However, when food gets scarce, they slowly move towards one another to create a new structure to produce spores that will be taken to a new place by the wind.
Although they do not have brains, researchers have found that they have the ability to ‘learn’ and go through mazes.
