I went for a walk in the woods and found multiple fallen branches with this fairly long growth on them.
I assume that it is a fungus of some sort but does anyone have more info on what kind it is?
I found so many that I eventually stopped taking pictures of it. But I haven’t seen this before so I was surprised, as I spend quite a lot of time in the woods.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_ice
Hair ice, also known as ice wool or frost beard, is a type of ice that forms on dead wood and takes the shape of fine, silky hair
That is really surprising because it didn’t feel that cold. It’s actually +1C at the moment so did not even consider ice!
It says in the article it can persist for days.
Yes! I am not doubting it at all. I am just surprised at it being ice (even after reading the Wikipedia link)
Though apparently only forms because of a fungus!
If you can’t explain it or it’s weird as hell, it’s always a fungus.
!The fungus shapes the ice into fine hairs through an uncertain mechanism and likely stabilizes it by providing a recrystallization inhibitor similar to antifreeze proteins!<
I always find these interesting that we still haven’t figure out fungi fully.
You should submit some of your photos to Wikipedia. They’re very clear compared to some of the handful in the article
Probably because the mass is very low.
You didn’t touch, did you?! Ooh god, I bet op did.
I’m so sorry.
Nah he just ate it. Delicious!
Rip OP.
Exidiopsis effusa is the fungus involved, but the feathery white hairs are ice. The fungus facilitates the production. Here’s the article.
I spend quite a lot of time in the woods
Let me ask the real questions OP: what do you do in the woods?
It will be in the news soon enough…
/s
Just kidding. I just walk our dogs there (quite often)
There’s a fungus among us.
I just saw this for the first time today, 11 days after seeing this post. A person I was with suggested it grew mostly on beech wood.
That’s amazing!
Lyons Mane maybe?
Super cool find, op!
Thanks! But I am even more happy to learn about this type of fungus-generated ice! Nature is wild!
Harry who? Harry Fungus!
