The Many-Headed Slime Mold

THE BLOB....a 1950's classic horror film depicting a gelatinous blob from outer space that consumes everything in its path could have been inspired by a real living blob-like substance. After heavy rainfall, in a forest near you, this alien-like creature will eat its way through the woodlands leaving nothing in its wake. 

A few days ago I noticed a bright yellow growth near a dead ash tree in our yard. When I first spotted it, I thought it was dog vomit slime or something similar. After posting pictures to a Facebook page dedicated to slime molds, I had a positive ID in short order (Thank you Jan Thornbill)

Badhamia polycephala (formerly Physarum polycephalum), or Many-Headed Slime Mold is found throughout North America, South America, Europe and other places around the World. It is most common in the Eastern portion of NA. 

It is unclear how long slime molds have been present on planet Earth, some scientists estimate 600 million years and others say as long as one to two billion years, either way a REALLY REALLY LONG TIME!  Because of the nature of slime molds, there are very few fossil records that exist. However, they have had plenty of time to perfect their strategies and my guess is, very little has changed in their MO. 

There are thirty or so types of Badhamia slime molds and most are found in temperate or tropical environments. The genus name Badhamia is derived from Charles David Badham, a physician, naturalist and mushroom aficionado, who was well known for his studies on fungi. 

Like most slime molds they prefer habitats with moist, rich substrate and plenty of dead or decaying organic matter. Using special enzymes, called lytic enzymes they are able to break down the cellular structure of fungi, wood, and leaf litter, turning it into nutrient rich organic matter that benefits the soil, trees and plants growing in these ecosystems. 

Human activity all too often creates challenges for organisms, many of which have a lasting impact on the survival of some species. In the case of this particular protist (an organism with a cell that is not an animal, plant or fungus), human disturbances have assisted in its continued spread. Logging creates an abundance of fresh decaying wood which provides the perfect conditions for growth and fruiting. After heavy rains the spores become active and are visible, in what is called the plasmodia stage. During the plasmodial stage, or feeding stage, the bright yellow slime will appear vein-like in its structure as it seemingly reaches for anything nutritious in its path. 

These shape-shifting amoeba-like plasmodia travel at one millimeter per second (roughly ten feet an hour) in a rhythmic fashion, changing direction every minute and a half. They consume everything in their path. One of their favorites seems to be oyster mushrooms. Easily one of the most studied of the slime molds and reproduces well in petri dishes in laboratory settings. It was even suggested to me to retain a bit of the specimen pictured here and keep it as a pet and feed it oyster mushrooms. While I considered the idea, I ended up deciding against it. 

With all the names associated with this oddity, such as blob, plasmodia, shape-shifting, many-headed, just to name a few.  All I could think of was a sequel to Ghostbusters or some equally creative sci-fi film featuring my office and an experiment gone woefully wrong.  

There seems to be some indication that these protists are even capable of solving problems, without a brain I might add. In scientific studies it has been shown they will always choose the shortest distance to a food source, no matter the obstacles put in their path. Work smarter, not harder, seems to be their motto. 

Oyster Mushroom--Before

Oyster Mushroom--After

 

Once the plasmodial stage has exhausted its food supply and the damp conditions begin to dry out, they will enter into the next stage of development, the reproductive stage.  During this fruiting stage tiny spores will develop that appear to have two heads, which is where the common name many-headed comes from. These spores will be spread by wind or via insects, mites and earthworms. 

Fruiting body--spores

Fruiting body--spores

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once carried to new locations, they sit dormant, waiting for the right rainy conditions, to mysteriously appear, and undulate their way through the forest, consuming everything it their path. 

                                                              Beware the Slime Mold!

 

 

 

 

Dandelions---Natures Little Ray of Sunshine

Ella Wheeler Wilcox said it best when she said, “A weed is but an unloved flower.” Without a doubt the most recognized of these unloved flowers is the dandelion. Love them or hate them no one can deny their bright yellow flowers brighten up the spring landscape after a long, dreary winter. Approximately thirty million years ago dandelions first appeared on the Eurasian landscape and have spread their population throughout most of the world. Dandelions share the family Asteraceae, with the daisy’s and sunflowers. Just like the yellow sunflower, dandelions also orient themselves with the sun, opening their flower head each morning and closing up each evening. Throughout North American the common dandelion or wandering dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is the most prevalent and widespread of all the known species. The name Taxaxacum may be derived from the Greek word tarasso which translates to the word disturb which probably hints at its ability to adapt to most any environment. The species name of officinale is derived from the Greek word opificina meaning apothecary or pharmacy. This is in reference to the medicinal qualities the plant possess. The common name dandelion comes from the French term dent-de-lion or lionstooth in reference to the jagged toothy leaves. Over the past several hundred years these common plants have been called many names, many of which are no longer in use today, including lions-tooth, cankerwort, milkwitch, Irish daisy, puffball, priests crown and perhaps the most unusual name of all is wet-a-bed. This colorful name is derived from the French word pissenlit and refers to the plants diuretic qualities. It was said that a child who sniffed a dandelion on May Day would not wet the bed for a year. Those suffering from ailments of the kidneys or liver often drank tonics or teas made from the leaves of the dandelion to aid in cleansing the afflicted organs.

As early as March in Missouri the dormant dandelion will awaken and begin blooming in earnest. These early bloomers provide much needed nectar for hungry pollinators. Although the nectar quality is not as good, or beneficial as other blooming flowers, honeybees will be found partaking of the sweet juices, nonetheless. This has to be a welcome treat after months of existing on stored honey. Dandelions do not require insects to pollinate them, instead they spread their range through wind distribution when the seed heads appear. They can also spread via seed banks, meaning because their seeds are viable in the soil for up to ten years, under the right conditions they will germinate and grow new plants. They may also regenerate through portions of their taproot. This taproot may extend several feet into the soil making them difficult to pull and eradicate. Each dandelion plant can produce more than 5,000 seeds a year or more than 15,000 seeds in its lifetime. It is estimated that a dense stand of dandelions on two and half acres (or one hectare) of land may produce 97,000,000 seeds! Knowing this it is easy to understand how and why the dandelion has been so successful in spreading its range.

Dandelions have long been an important food source and medicinal plant for humans and was brought from Europe to North American more than a hundred years ago as a food source. Because of the high levels of vitamins, A, C, and E, plus calcium and potassium this plant was considered a healthy spring green for individuals deprived of fresh vegetables after a long winter. During Victorian times the wealthy often added blooms and leaves to sandwiches and salads, not only for the taste but also valuable nutrition. The USDA ranks dandelions above spinach and broccoli for nutritional value. Dandelions grow best in temperate climates and moist soils and may be found in a wide variety of habitats that range from our backyards to riverbanks. Because they are difficult to grow in tropical areas these regions of the World often smuggled the seeds from overseas to try and establish populations for their coveted medicinal uses. In the days of orderly lawns dandelions are often considered public enemy #1. 

Therefore with the overbearing amount of dandelions that sprout up nearly everywhere in Missouri, it is hard to imagine regions of the world purposefully planting their seeds. Individuals who study soil content and quality know that dandelions are in indicator species for potassium and calcium. Because these plants prefer soils low in calcium, yet high in potassium, where large stands of these plants thrive, it can indicate the contents of the soil. The long taproots help loosen compacted soil thus creating a microclimate that draws earthworms whose job is to rejuvenate and aerate the soil. This allows water to reach the root systems of turf and plants. If the stand of dandelions is too large they can choke out your turf grass effectively taking over your yard in a few years. I for one don’t mind the dandelions. I am fond of the bright yellow flowers and appreciate the availability of precious nectar for our early spring pollinators. Running a tortoise rescue I can also appreciate the free food for my resident chelonians.

The commonality of dandelions makes them readily available to anyone who is interested in pursuing the culinary benefits as well as medicinal benefits of this versatile plant. All parts of the plant are edible, and one can make wine, jam, jelly and even a coffee substitute from the roots. I for one love the leaves as an interesting taste and texture to my salads. Salve for blisters, bee stings and warts can be made from the juice of the leaves. Even a honey substitute can be made called May honey.

Love them or hate them, these unloved flowers are not going anywhere soon. Maybe this is a case of making lemonade out of lemons, or wine out of dandelions as the case may be.

Lesser Earless Lizard

Last fall we ventured out to Western Kansas to see the chalk formations and visit Little Jerusalem Badlands. Part of the trip was to see the rock formations, but I was also on a mission to photograph insects. The diversity and abundance of grasshopper species is remarkable. I spotted my very first lubber grasshopper. These massive hoppers are sure to leave an impression. On one of our many days spent outside exploring we visited a place called Smokey Valley Ranch, near Oakley, KS. This nearly 19,000-acre property is owned by the Nature Conservancy and is home to bison, prairie chickens, and pronghorn. There is a five-mile walking trail that takes you through short grass prairies, sandy soils, chalk formations and the beautiful terrain that only Western Kansas can offer.

We were about 100 yards into our hike when I saw rapid movement on the ground ahead of us. I wasn’t sure what it was, only that it was sizeable for an insect. As I got closer, I could tell it was not an insect, but a small lizard. It would run rapidly ahead of us, then stop, look back at us, as if to say, “you coming?” Then I would walk forward, it would dart ahead, stop, look and then repeat. This went on for quite some time; to say I was completely fascinated by this “friendly” little reptile would be an understatement. It finally allowed me to get close enough to capture some images, as if deciding he could trust me, or he was completely worn out by the cat-and-mouse game he initiated.

After capturing some images and doing a tentative Google search I was able to identify this lizard as a Lesser Earless Lizard. These small lizards reach about five inches in length from tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. Their body is rather stocky and may be brown, tan, gray or reddish-brown. There are four rows of chevron shaped markings down the back and variable other speckling. Some individuals lack markings altogether. As I was busy figuring out what type of lizard I was looking at, a movement to my right caught my attention, and there was another tiny lizard darting around. This lizard exhibited the same cat-and-mouse behavior as the first one. I finally caught up to it and captured some images of it as well. These adorable lizards lack the external ear openings that nearly all lizards have. This absence of a visible ear opening is what earned them the common name of earless lizard.

Their color can be highly variable and often is in direct correlation to the soil they are living on.

Earless lizards are diurnal and typically active at temperatures above 70 degrees. In the hottest summer months, they are active in mid-morning and late afternoon. During the hottest parts of the day, they hide under brush, plants and mammal burrows. The closest populations to us are in Saline, Dickenson and Ottawa counties in Kansas. Their range includes the Southwestern and parts of the Central United States. In South Dakota they are considered endangered.

 

We saw several of these charming lizards that day, and again the next day at a different location. It was comical watching them rush in and out of sage brush, succulents and other prairie plants looking for food or maybe just cooling their hot little feet off after running around on sun-soaked sand. Their diet consists of insects, spiders and smaller lizards, with grasshoppers and true bugs (stink bugs, assassin bugs, etc.), being their preferred food choice. Their rapid, erratic movements, and tendency to stop mid-movement may aid them in avoiding predators. Animals such as large lizards, small mammals, birds and snakes all enjoy a tiny lizard for dinner. 

Visiting new places with unique habitat features is a sure way to find new-to-you plants, animals and scenery. Let me recommend Western Kansas for some of the most unique rock formations, insect diversity, wildlife viewing and spectacular sunsets.