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.

    • cosmicrookieOP
      392·
      2 years ago

      That is really surprising because it didn’t feel that cold. It’s actually +1C at the moment so did not even consider ice!

        • cosmicrookieOP
          322·
          2 years ago

          Yes! I am not doubting it at all. I am just surprised at it being ice (even after reading the Wikipedia link)

          • shadmereEnglish
            33·
            2 years ago

            Though apparently only forms because of a fungus!

            • mihntEnglish
              55·
              2 years ago

              If you can’t explain it or it’s weird as hell, it’s always a fungus.

              • faintwhenfree@lemmus.orgEnglish
                8·
                2 years ago

                !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.

      • WestwardWind@lemm.ee
        5·
        2 years ago

        You should submit some of your photos to Wikipedia. They’re very clear compared to some of the handful in the article

  • ani@endlesstalk.org
    82·
    2 years ago

    I spend quite a lot of time in the woods

    Let me ask the real questions OP: what do you do in the woods?

    • cosmicrookieOP
      171·
      2 years ago

      It will be in the news soon enough…

      /s

      Just kidding. I just walk our dogs there (quite often)

    • cosmicrookieOP
      51·
      2 years ago

      Thanks! But I am even more happy to learn about this type of fungus-generated ice! Nature is wild!

  • 56!@lemmy.ml
    2·
    2 years ago

    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.