More Bird's Nest Fungi

In July I found a single White-egg Bird’s Nest Fungi. It was very exciting because it was only the second time in my life that I had ever seen such fungi. Yesterday I found vast colonies of this fungi growing on old cedar branches in some of my brush piles. This one looks more like lima beans in a bowl.

The fungus grows as an enclosed body in which the eggs form. The eggs contain spores and when the spores are ripe, the cap on top decomposes. What’s left is the nest shape with the eggs inside.

Rain drops falling into the open nest splash the eggs up and out. As the egg leaves the nest, it uncoils a cord and anchor type structure that allows the egg to catch on the surrounding surface. Mycelium grow from the egg to begin development of a new colony of fungi.

There are four ejected eggs in this photo. One is beside a nest, two are on the underside of the stick and one is on the stick above the nests.

Here is part of one of the colonies. The nests are really hard to see. I’ve been told that this is the best time of the year to find these particular fungi. Maybe I’ll see them more often now that I know what to look for.

Bird’s Nest Fungus

As far as I can tell from the limited fungi references I have available, this is the White-egg Bird’s Nest Fungus. It’s easy to see where it gets its common name, even though the eggs are slightly deflated here. The spores develop inside the spheroid egg shaped structures. Apparently the action of raindrops falling into the nest aids in dispersal of the spores by splashing them out onto the surrounding area.

The entire nest is less than two tenths of an inch across. You can get a good idea of its size by comparing it to the moss and cedar needle nearby.