There's a hole, there's a hole...

The photo above shows a small section of our yard.  The grass is starting to become green and grow, but what is really interesting to me are the hundreds of holes spaced every few inches throughout the entire lawn.

Here's a closer look.

So what's making these holes?

Native Species Profile - Bear's Head Tooth Fungus

I am not a mycologist (fungus expert).  There are very few species of fungi that I can reliably identify.  Even though I am not an expert, I find fungi incredibly interesting because of the role that they play in the environment. 

Because fungi appear inactive biologists once lumped with plants, but many species actually behave more like animals.  Fungi cannot make their own food like plants can, instead they rely on other organisms for their food.  Some species form symbiotic relationships with plants - a relationship that benefits both species - collecting water and nutrients that is shares with the plant and receiving plant starches (food) in exchange.  Other species are parasitic - invading living organisms and stealing food from them.  Many species of fungi are saprophytic.  This means that they break down dead and decaying organism for their food.

One of the more distinctive fungi that can be found in Mid-Michigan is the Bear's Head Tooth Fungus (Hericium americanum).   Because it is so distinctive, this is one fungus that I feel confident in my identification. 

Bear's Head Tooth Fungus (Hericium americanum)

This species is saprophytic and is usually found on decaying deciduous logs, but it may occasionally be found on conifer logs or on living deciduous trees.  Like almost all fungi, the part that we see is only a small part of a much larger organism.  Most of a fungus is hidden in the ground, in dead logs, or even in living trees as a system of root-like fibers called mycelium.  The mushroom that we see on the surface only occurs when the larger fungus is ready to reproduce by sending microscopic spores into the wind.  Essentially a mushroom is a fruiting body produced by the large hidden mass of mycelium for the purpose of reproduction.

The fruiting body of this fungus grows from the decaying log as a thick white stalk topped by several thick white branches.  Each branch is covered by white clusters of drooping spines or teeth.  The overall effect is of a bonsai tree covered with icicles.  This visible fruiting body may be as large as 12 inches by 12 inches.  It is not uncommon to find several growing from the same log.  Over time the color fades from white to cream or brown.

Bear's Head Tooth Fungi (Hericium americanum) growing from a decaying log

Although I rarely eat wild mushrooms because I don't particularly like them, this is one wild fungus that I would confidently eat.  Bear's Head Tooth is considered delicious and has no poisonous lookalikes.  There are several other Hericium species that look similar, but all are edible.  A good rule for any wild food, never eat anything in the wild that you cannot identify with 100% certainty. 

Humans are not the only creatures that eat the Bear's Head Tooth Fungus.  Rodents such as mice, chipmunks, and squirrels often chew on them.  They are eaten by several species of insects.  They are also avidly consumed by snails and slugs.

A large (2 inch long) slug on a Boar's Head Tooth Fungus

Basic Information

Bear's Head Tooth Fungus
Hericium americanum

Size:  up to 12" by 12"

Habitat:  found on deciduous logs in woodlands; rarely on living trees or conifer logs

Color:  white; fades to cream or brown

Bloom Time:  summer to fall

Fresh Fruits of Island Park - Edible, Inedible, and Toxic

Between the light rain yesterday morning and the heavy rain yesterday afternoon I was able to take a short stroll along the Chippewa River at Island Park in Mt. Pleasant.  I went there with the intent of taking photographs of several different species of grasses and sedges for a presentation.  Along the way I started noticing the great variety of berries and fruits along the riverbank and decided to photograph those too.

All of these fruits are eaten by wildlife.  This does not mean that they can or should be eaten by people.  Three of the species shown are edible.  The other four are either inedible or even toxic.

This first photograph shows the possible dangers of foraging for wild fruits.  In the center of the photo is an elongated cluster of Riverbank Grapes (Vitis riparia), but along the left side of the photograph is a rounded cluster of Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) berries which are toxic to humans.

Riverbank Grape (Vitis riparia) - Edible

The second photograph shows just Virginia Creeper berries and leaves.

Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) berries - TOXIC

The third photograph shows the fruits from a Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica).  The fruits from this species are toxic to humans and other mammals, but birds regularly eat them.

Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) fruit - TOXIC

This photo shows the berries from Western Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii).  This species is less common in Michigan than Eastern Poison Ivy (T. radicans).  Unlike the Eastern form which typically from climbing vines, Western poison Ivy grows as a low shrub.  The berries from both species are toxic to humans.

Western Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii) berries - TOXIC

The fifth photograph shows the fruit of American Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum trilobum).  There is a closely related species European Highbush Cranberry (V. opulus) that is distinguished only by a difference in the shape of glands at the base of the leaf.  The fruit from both species is edible, but it is very tart and may not appeal to all people.

American Highbush Cranberry (Virburnum trilobum) fruit - Edible

The next photograph shows fruit from a rose, known as "hips".  All species of rose hips are edible, but not all are palatable.   I did not identify the species of rose on site, but from the photograph it appears to be Smooth Rose (Rosa blanda). 

Rose hips (fruit), probably a Smooth Rose (Rosa blanda) - Edible

The next two photographs show drupes (fruit) from two different species of dogwood.  The first photograph shows Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum) fruits.  The second shows Red-Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea).  Some sources list dogwood fruits as edible, others as inedible.  Some may cause nausea if eaten.  In general, even though you may be able to eat dogwood fruits you probably wouldn't want to do so.

Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum) - inedible

Red-Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) - inedible

It was very interesting to me to find this many different fruits/berries in such a small space - less than 200 yards of riverbank.  It looks like the birds will eat well this fall and winter.

On a side note, if you visit Island Park on Thursdays between June 1st and October 31st you will find the Mt. Pleasant Farmers' Market with lots of fresh edible fruits when they are in season.