Several years ago (well, actually many) I won a photography contest and one of the judges congratulated me on my appreciation of things slimy. I think the image was of a frog and well…they aren’t slimy but I wasn’t going to argue the point.
Slime molds (Myxomycota) are plasmodial bodies of single cells all acting as one organism….kind of an altruistic team. I like them and, although I’ve only found a few so far, I enjoy their interesting biology and many different forms. They are not fungi but often can be found in a mushroom field guide.
Coral Slime (Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa)
Kind of pretty for slime, eh? I had no idea what they were when I found them on a rotting log in Wendell State Forest while toddling along with a couple of entomologists looking for bugs to photograph.
Growing on the same log was Stemonitis axifera (no common name that I can find) and another cool looking slime mold.
Not too slimy, huh?
And probably the one that most folks have seen is the Dog Vomit slime (Fuligo septica).
I find these most often. Sometimes even on our wood chip mulch pile by the garden.
What I found most interesting, up until now, was the idea that slime molds can actually move from one location to another seeking out food. Not by sending spores through the air (although they do) but by actually moving along the soil. The reason I said “up until now” is described in the following Ted talk as an actual semblance of intelligence exhibited by slimes. I don’t expect to hold a conversation with one anytime soon…those funny mushrooms are way way in my past…but apparently they are able to make decisions and find their way to food sources in very indirect paths when facing obstacles. If you have a spare 12 minutes or so, this is fascinating….to me and I hope to at least some of you too.,
In finishing up, I hope this topic was not too gross for anyone. If it was and you just fast forwarded to this last paragraph, I understand. 
I never knew they were so smart. If they can replicate the Tokyo transport network could they I wonder solve Sai Kung’s.
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Given time, they might solve any problem, but Sai Kung traffic? Asking a lot.
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Your photos are so very special as they have been all year…Have a very merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
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Thank you, Charlie. Happy holidays to you also.
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Incredible photos and I have learned something new today.
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Thanks very much for that, Yvonne. It really bolsters my sense of accomplishment when one of my posts does more than showcase an image or two.
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That’s a great visual celebration of diversity. These slimy entities would have no trouble getting into an Ivy League school, though I’m not sure they’d grow on the ivy itself.
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It is amazing the things that we eventually learn about our fellow life forms that share the planet. We may be dominant but not necessarily superior.
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Very educational Steve. And super photos as usual. I’ll try to find 12 minutes later to see how much more intelligent the slime guys are than I.
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I hope that you enjoyed the video and aren’t feeling too inferior, Rod. 🙂
All of creation is full of surprises and lessons for living. Sounds like a homily.
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I was so tickled when I saw these last night. It took about ten seconds for me to get from your slime to ZZ Top. How? you might ask. Well, let me tell you.
There was a memorable investigative reporter on Houston television back in the day whose reports on local restaurants always started with the tag line, “SLIME IN THE ICE MACHINE!!!” Yes, of course it’s on YouTube. Marvin didn’t limit himself to restaurants, of course. He was the dude whose reporting helped to close down Texas’s famous Chicken Ranch, the cute little brothel outside LaGrange whose story was immortalized in “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.” And that brings us to ZZ Top, whose song, “La Grange,” tells the story.
Apart from all that, the slimes are beautiful — well, at least the white and red. The yellow could profit by having a different name, I think. I tried naming it “Lemon Chiffon Pie” and it looked a little better to me. Now, I’m going to have another cup of coffee and watch the video.
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That’s funny.
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I will try to spread your alternate slime moniker around, Linda. I like it much better too.
And shame on Marvin, putting that fine establishment full of hard working Americans out of business. I sure do hope that they all found suitable employment elsewhere. Must have made for interesting entries on the unemployment application for type of employment sought.
Isn’t the world just filled with wonder as we discover more about it. Shame that so many folks find “Survivor” or the like more worth their time.
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You’ve done a really wonderful job at making these intriguing organisms look pretty … and I know that can be a tough thing to do. Many slime molds don’t have much color and, therefore, ‘posing’ them in just the right way, to show them off to their best advantage, takes lots of skill and experience. It’s also critical to get-right-down-there at their level … kind of an ant’s-eye-view … to afford your observer the right vantage … and, again, you’ve done really well. All-in-all … a very thoughtful (in the literal sense) series of images. D PS: I have not viewed the video … perhaps this evening.
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Getting dowm and dirty is one of my strongest character traits I am afraid, David. More than a few folks have encountered a crazy photographer lying along the side of a path in the woods or the rail trail focused on who knows what little subjects. Afterwards they are more often than not treated to the groans of said crazy person trying to rise from the ground with some semblance of dignity. 🙂
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Very interesting. I’ve encountered a large mass of tan colored slime a long time ago. I had no idea what it was. Now I am pretty certain.
Have a Merry Christmas.
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When they start creeping in your direction look out, Jim.
A very Merry Christmas to you too.
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Wow, those slime molds are Beautiful! Great photographs. I live in Northern California where we get fungi for only a few months each year, IF we get enough rain. Thankfully, we have had a lof of rain so it is a great time to go out and phitography mushrooms and molds. I have been following yoir blog for about a year and am always inspired by your photography. Thank you for helping me to be a better photographer, and Merry Christmas.
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You certainly have had a rainy fall, Alison. There should be loads of fungi popping up.
Thank you for following and I appreciate your leaving a nice comment too. Merry Christmas.
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Loved this post, Steve. I haven’t seem the top two kinds, but I have seen a bright orange one boogying down the length of a downed Birch in the middle of a warm December. That was SO COOL!
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It is pretty cool as long as it doesn’t start to turn and boogie in your direction, Melissa. 🙂
There is little in nature that Isn’t fascinating. I am pretty sure that you agree.
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Thank you for sharing the link and for posting these amazing images! The forms they take on … for slime … are beautiful (I would never have thought of calling ‘slime’ beautiful before now) and fascinating. I will dig into learning more about slime.
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I did not see many this year with our drought. But they are fascinating, especially the part where they can ooze their way across the ground. Good subject for a sci fi film. 🙂
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