[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

These beasties appear in my stable yard in the morning. The ground is covered with them. By mid afternoon they have all shrivelled; but the next morning they're back, full of life again.

[dentstudent]

Yes - I think it's Coprinus xanthotrix or the Little Inky Cap. It's a very short lived fungus that inhabits deciduous woodlands. I looks as though the spores may have come in with the bark-chippings you have.

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

Thanks, Stuart. You're probably right about the wood chips. There are more fungi where we've got the most chips (in the menage and on the actual piles of chips). There are none in the fields and just a few outside the stables where a few chips have got scattered.

(the pics were all taken in the menage)

Are they poisonous? If so, is there any way I can get rid of them?

P.S. I just lurrrv the macro facility on my camera!  []

[dentstudent]

It would appear that there is some use for it!

"Little Inky Cap Essence

Brings emotional strength and universal trust, when you are vulnerable. Helps to rise above emotions and promotes the letting go of old anger quickly and easily. Helps you to resist pressure from others and stand strong for yourself. To disconnect yourself from old, often unseen, family patterns. "

from: a website that I shouldn't have put on here..... [:I]

but I wouldn't recommend them in a risotto! In all honesty, I have no idea whether they are poisonous or not (although my look-up shows a skull and cross-bones, but this just means "be careful"), or, perhaps more to the point, their effect on horses. Has your possy seemed more self-assured recently, rising above all? Are they sitting around singing "Kumbaya"?

I think the only way of getting rid of them would be to either get rid of the chips (but there may be some spores left) or to make sure they don't set more spores by removing them as they grow.

[dentstudent]

Oops! Sorry Karen - didn't think about that!

[Karen W.]

That's ok.. I know you did'nt.. LOL! You can remove my edit and correct it by having people contact you if they want the link. That would be acceptable  by me,I believe!

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

Here are some other fungi at the stable yard. The green 1 looks like a manky old scourer that's seen far better days!

[Karen W.]

Nice fungus!

[dentstudent]

looks like a manky old scourer that's seen far better days!

Who are you calling a manky old scourer?

[Karen W.]

 They are pretty little fugi aren't they! LOL

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

looks like a manky old scourer that's seen far better days!

Who are you calling a manky old scourer?

erm... Scourers Bulba?

[dentstudent]

Doc - I don't know this one off pat - I'll try and key it out over the weekend. My mother-in-law is staying with us, so I'll have plenty of time!

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

Thanks

[dentstudent]

Morning Eth

A couple of questions about your fungal growth....

It looks like they have gills, rather than a sort of spongy underside. Is this right?
Are the gills attached to the stem?
Does the stem have a collar?
When the fungus first comes through, does it resemble an egg, then break through what would be the top of the "shell"?

[dentstudent]

Does the flesh have a smell? Is it a kind of gassy smell, or of radish? Can you see what colour the spores are?

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

I can't answer any of those questions. The fungus was right on top of the chip pile & I've had to scrape that part of the pile away as I need chips every day for the stable floor.

I didn't see the fungus when it first came through as there were still some chips on the other pile & I was using that.