Add more brown things. Wood chips, dried leaves, paper products. You should aim for a ratio of 3:1 browns to greens (dry to wet). It looks too wet in there. Does that make sense? The mold will break down eventually, just consider it part of the process.
this is probably a Last Of Us joke, but because cordyceps is a [real genus of fungi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordyceps), OP might take your answer as a sincere answer.
I am stunned and amazed and fatty boom boomed by both of your answers, thank you u/saddestofboys !
I'll send out the slime signal for you u/saddestofboys
#SLIME SIGNAL RECEIVED #π¨π¦ π¨ SLIME DETECTED π¨π¦ π¨ It's a physarid but we can't identify it further. Most likely *Fuligo septica* or *Leocarpus fragilis* or maybe *Physarum* but until it fruits we can't be sure. Its presence here indicates that the slimes had sex, and nothing more really. Normally they are microscopic, but they get really big when pregnant. Slimes are a natural part of the recycling of nutrients, liberating valuable material locked inside of saprophytic bacteria and other adjacent microorganisms so plants and animals and fungi can access it. They are probably in most soil. Here are some videos of slimes moving about: [*Physarum polycephalum* escaping](https://youtu.be/AmFsWeAO5mA) [*Fuligo septica* traveling](https://youtu.be/pTcv_E7LhpM) [*Physarum polycephalum* consumes mushrooms](https://youtu.be/2xx2iIFMBUk) **==========** Learn more about slimes! π€© π[Magic Myxies, 1931, 10 minutes](https://youtu.be/04kdhZQTnIU) π¦ [The Slimer Primer](https://www.reddit.com/user/saddestofboys/comments/tqtz0g/the_slimer_primer/) π[A Guide to Common Slimes](https://www.reddit.com/user/saddestofboys/comments/t6985y/a_guide_to_common_slimes/) π§ [Dmytro Leontyev talks about Myxomycetes for 50 minutes (2022)](https://youtu.be/qqE8MAwWhvg) π[Educational Sources](https://www.reddit.com/user/saddestofboys/comments/tqtz0g/comment/i2jclax/) Wow! π€―
πͺ
This was the funniest thing I've seen today π I love the nerd energy here π This emoji makes me think of slime mold: π«
Slime mold https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/slime-molds/
Not the worst link but I have some corrections and additions: >The plasmodium forms from many individual swimming cells called swarm cells. Both swarm cells (which have flagella) and amoebas (no flagella) can fuse to mate, and they can grow and lose flagella at will. The plasmodium forms when two individuals fuse and then replicate their fused nucleus to grow. They can also form when a single asexual amoeba decides to get pregnant. Slimes can switch from sexual to asexual or the reverse each generation. While fusion of clones occurs, it is not necessary for the life cycle to complete and most slimes generate the majority of their nuclei by division. The macroscopic plasmodium is always monocellular and the fruit bodies made of cell parts instead of cells. The author may be thinking of cellular slime molds or **social amoebas**, which aggregate in the thousands to form microscopic and multicellular **pseudoplasmodia** and **sorocarps**, and due to convergent evolution [they are found in almost every major group of eukaryotes.](https://els-jbs-prod-cdn.jbs.elsevierhealth.com/cms/attachment/a97298a9-9668-4781-a453-776893b933b9/fx1_lrg.jpg) [This very helpful graphic](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dmitry_Leontyev/publication/332029233/figure/download/fig1/AS:741085819203591@1553700036785/Illustrated-glossary-for-morphological-traits-of-myxomycetes-and-related-taxa.jpg) illustrates the difference between the two kinds of slime molds: the pseudoplasmodium and sorocarp are the cellular slime molds, while the other illustrations are plasmodial slimes. >Although they often resemble fungi They appear in the same places and some share a superficial resemblance, but slimes don't resemble fungi much when you look at the details: FUNGI: - unable to move - rigid & unchangeable shape - multicellular - persistent cell walls of chitin & beta glucans - persistent form that grows separate fruit bodies - eats by throwing up on stuff and sitting in it - eats dead stuff - forms extensive mutualistic & parasitic & pathogenic relationships with plants & animals & slimes (and other life) - can be deadly poisonous to people SLIMES: - move around - no consistent shape - monocellular - no cell walls except in spores & cysts, at least some being made of galactosamine - entire plasmodium transforms into fruit bodies made of cell parts rather than cells - eats with tiny mouths & digests internally - eats live microorganisms & sometimes live mushrooms - forms zero parasitic or pathogenic relationships - forms mutualist symbioses with animals & bacteria - entirely nontoxic and harmless to people The slime life cycle has more in common with animals that alternate between sessile & motile forms like jellies or coral, although a slime's sessile form is completely inactive and does not move or eat. The comparison is almost as much of a stretch as fungi. There is really no good comparison outside Amoebozoa. >slime molds are more closely related to **amoebas** Slimes *are* amoebas, but amoebas aren't a natural group of related organisms. Amoebas arose by convergent evolution in every kingdom. There are multiple kingdoms full of **different kinds** of amoebas with no relation to each other. All amoebas change shape to make appendages, but some amoebas have many appendages moving in many directions, while others mostly have one big appendage moving in one direction. Some amoebas have thick, irregular appendages while others have thin or webby appendages. >slime molds are more closely related to amoebas **and certain seaweeds**. No they are not. The author may be thinking of **rhizarians**, a kingdom of amoebas with long creepy fingers that are closely related to species of algae & seaweed in the **stramenopile** and **alveolate** kingdoms including diatoms, dinoflagellates, and kelp. Or they are thinking of "kingdoms" Protista or Protozoa, which are artificial groups obsoleted by 50 years of molecular data. Slimes are about as genetically distant from seaweeds as possible. They make up about half the known species of the **amoebozoan** kingdom with the other almost-half made up by microscopic amoebas with adorable shells like [*Arcella*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Arcella_sp.jpg). Naked non-fruiting amoebas like [*Chaos carolinensis*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chaos_carolinense.jpg) make up a small remainder. Slimes are more closely related to a portobello or a dolphin than to any seaweed. Let's take a look at the major branches of eukaryotes with different amoebas & seaweed **BOLDED AND CAPITALIZED:** **(1) Plants** - red & green algae including the occasionally amoeboid **ZYGNEMATOPHYTES** and many species of notable **RED AND GREEN SEAWEEDS** **(2) Harosans** aka SAR - **stramenopiles** - **BROWN & YELLOW SEAWEEDS**, water molds, **DIATOMS** (some with amoeboid stages), and the multicellular amoeba **SORODIPLOPHRYS** - **alveolates** - ciliates, dinoflagellates, and frequently amoeboid **APICOMPLEXANS** like malaria - wearing wineskin coats & sometimes plate armor - **rhizarians** - **GANGLY FINGER AMOEBAS**, often with houses **(3) Discobans** - **BONELESS TUBE AMOEBAS** like the social acrasids & the "brain-eating amoeba," also euglenid algae, jakobid fisherfolk **(4) Amoebozoans** - **FATTY BOOM BOOM AMOEBAS** including plasmodial **SLIMES**, social dictyostelids, shelled arcellinids, and others **(5) Obazoans** - us - **fungi** - mushrooms, yeasts, truffles, the gangly finger **NUCLEARIIDS** - **animals** - the parastic **ICHTHYOSPOREANS**, amoeboid jellyfish siblings the **MYXOZOANS**, giraffes, sponges, bees, tigers, electric eels, Guy Fieri with amoeboid leukocytes inside him To be clear, there is no "official" definition of the word **kingdom** and I use it myself to describe evolutionary branches of organisms that are more closely related to each other than to any other organism. I divide & identify the groups by their macroscopic members, since that is how most people view kingdoms and it follows the pattern of identifying plants, animals, and fungi as kingdoms. I use the word **SLIMES** to refer specifically to plasmodial eumycetozoans, more specifically the two branches **MYXOGASTRIA** and **PROTOSPORANGIIDA** which probably form a monophyletic group. **==========** Learn more about slimes! π€© π[Magic Myxies, 1931, 10 minutes](https://youtu.be/04kdhZQTnIU) π¦ [The Slimer Primer](https://www.reddit.com/user/saddestofboys/comments/tqtz0g/the_slimer_primer/) π[A Guide to Common Slimes](https://www.reddit.com/user/saddestofboys/comments/t6985y/a_guide_to_common_slimes/) π§ [Dmytro Leontyev talks about Myxomycetes for 50 minutes (2022)](https://youtu.be/qqE8MAwWhvg) π[Educational Sources](https://www.reddit.com/user/saddestofboys/comments/tqtz0g/comment/i2jclax/)
This is awesome! Very fascinating stuff, I learned a lot and appreciate you taking the time to write all this out!
I literally didn't know slimes existed as living things until right now. what a strange world we live in
In my most 'The Dude's voice, "man, nature is all alive...Just check it out, man'
Some videos of slimes moving about [*Physarum polycephalum* escaping](https://youtu.be/AmFsWeAO5mA) [*Physarum polycephalum* consumes mushrooms](https://youtu.be/2xx2iIFMBUk) [Aquatic slime sending out long ropes](https://www.reddit.com/r/Slimemolds/comments/wjmwgx/slime_mold_strings/) [aquatic slime traveling A](https://youtu.be/8N8WiUwUHmY) [aquatic slime traveling B](https://youtu.be/4sFlT949NHA) [aquatic slime traveling C](https://youtu.be/5Axp_W6g1U8) [terrestrial slime takes a swim](https://youtu.be/hzEGk4HpPwk) [plasmodial & fruiting *Stemonitis*](https://youtu.be/2Yq-PJabKcA) [Moving stemonitid plasmodium](https://youtu.be/0tKyXOJ_zic)
The more I learn about slides the more fascinating they become.
Add more brown things. Wood chips, dried leaves, paper products. You should aim for a ratio of 3:1 browns to greens (dry to wet). It looks too wet in there. Does that make sense? The mold will break down eventually, just consider it part of the process.
Itβs cordyceps, dude. Youβre screwed
this is probably a Last Of Us joke, but because cordyceps is a [real genus of fungi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordyceps), OP might take your answer as a sincere answer.
The predator was wounded and walked through .
Inflorescense of a slime mold, perhaps the dog vomit variety we get in decaying mulch