I love when srooms attack a decaying log. I don't even know why.
They are beautiful, you know, with their darker gray colored rings. Can you see them?
Maybe they're a little mysterious...conditions must be right, why did they choose this section to attach to and not another, and why are they on this log and not the one next to it?
Maybe I just appreciate the job they need to do. Nothing goes to waist in nature. After the tree dies, it becomes food for a host of animals and birds, even shelter for larger animals as shown in the post a few days ago. When the tree collapse, these mushroom break down the tree's matter to speed up the decaying process so this tree can become nutrients to the ground.
This log also had some woodpecker holes in it. Wow, two attacks on one log and I'm sure a billion others under the microscope!
Remember this picture? I didn't know what these were. While searching still for their identity, I came upon www.bugguide.net, they offer a service to identify your bug if you supply them with a picture. Just for kicks, I uploaded this picture and in literally 10 minutes was given the answer to my quest. Thanks guys at Bug Guide!!! Now, the American Carrion Beetle may be as common as an ant, but I really had no clue, and they didn't make me feel less of a bug person for not knowing this. If you have a bug and don't know what it is, this service is great.Let's learn about the American Carrion Beetle. This beetle is less than an inch long. True, mine was about .75". They feed on dead and decaying matter as well as larvae of some insects. These may have been munching on tree sap. They help break matter down and return nutrients into the soil. Very important guys.
