My brother and I were scheduled to play music for a museum benefit not long ago and I went to the family homestead for a few days so we could practice together and polish our repertoire for a few days before the performance. We had set up the sound system away from the house, so I was able to get up early every morning to get used to playing with amplification and practice the mandolin before anyone else was up and about (and without disturbing sleep).
On my way across the yard, I noticed this Aminita muscaria poking through the needles at the base of a white pine.
I decided to do a little time-lapse photography, taking a picture every morning on my way to my practice session.
It was fun to watch it open a little more each day.
These mushrooms, also known as Yellow-orange Fly Agaric, are poisonous. That's probably why slugs and beetles leave them alone to be their pretty, colorful and dangerous selves without any interference.
It finally collapsed under its own weight, spreading its spores for next year's beautiful and dangerous crop - they usually grow in groups and there was another one one of these striking mushrooms a few feet away. Unfortunately, we accidentally squashed it while loading the PA system and other gear into the truck to take to the benefit. Oops.
4 comments:
Don't feel too badly about squashing the mushroom - it looks as though it had released the majority of its spores.
I love the delicacy of the 'skirt', so light and insubstantial. It really makes the Agaric's outfit !
Hugs to ya, keep on strummin', from BetsyLee
oh wow, it really changed before the release of spores. I never would have thought that the mounded mushroom was the same as the flattened disk shaped mushroom.
Beautiful. Thanks for sharing and teaching.........
Sheila
Are you singing, "It's another magic Monday"?
I thought that veil remnant was pretty cool, too, BetsyLee. This mushroom wasn't quite as colorful as some I've seen, but the general fashion statement was still quite vibrant. :) Hugs right back!
Sheila, it was like watching an umbrella open up in slow motion. Fun to watch! I thought the collapse was pretty dramatic, too!
GG - I see what you did there... :)
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