Geograph - photograph every grid square

A slime mould - Mucilago crustacea (plasmodium)

Shown here is an early stage, the so-called plasmodium (see Link for an explanation) of the slime mould species Mucilago crustacea; this develops into a fruiting body which matures through yellow to become white, its interior finally blackening with age: "the newly emerged plasmodia resemble dogs' vomit on the grass but within 24 hours the calcareous cortex has hardened and the black spore mass has matured" [Bruce Ing, "The Myxomycetes of Britain and Ireland - An Identification Handbook"].

[An aside: some have applied the common name Dog's Vomit Slime Mould to a quite different species, Fuligo septica (NS3681 : A slime mould - Fuligo septica var. flava), but I personally consider the common name to be more confusing than helpful, and best avoided; as the description quoted above mentions, and as my photograph confirms, it far better describes this early stage of Mucilago crustacea.]

In the month when this photo was taken, this species was common (and often abundant) in this area; yet, in many preceding years, I had never once observed it here. This unusual abundance suggests that the recent weather had been out of the ordinary, in some manner that favoured its growth.

This is the first of a series of four images showing different stages of the slime mould's development. My reason for showing as many as four different stages was to provide some reference images: not only are slime moulds in general quite unfamiliar to most people, but the various stages of this particular species are also very different from each other in appearance.

Next stage: Link