Guess What We're Having For Dinner Tonight?
Found on the way to inspecting the beehives today--ginormous (I've used it twice in a week, I'll stop) sulphur shelf! I was going to say this fungus is as big as your head, but that's Non Birding Bill for size comparison and it's already bigger than his head--and he has an unusually large cranium to begin with! (Seriously, he's not egotistical, he really does have a large head--to hold that massively huge brain--it's why I love him.)I am so hungry!
FYI - fun bee post coming soon!
Labels: edible fungus
posted by birdchick at 4:11 PM
9 Comments:
You can't really eat that can you?!!? I found you at the Blogger's Choice Awards where you are nominated for Best Animal Blog. You should tottally put up a brag badge, the code is available on the same page people can go to vote for this site! Best of luck!
Hi Dani,
I did know I was nominated and I think there's a brag badge on the homepage. I felt good about my chances until someone nominated Cute Overload and I Can Has Cheezburger--two sites I gladly don't mind losing to.
You can totally eat sulphur shelf (and we did), it's also known as chicken of the woods. It's one of the foolproof four--you can't mistake it for any other fungus in North America.
As lovely as that hive is it is also an indication that that tree is DEAD! And most be removes a.s.a.p.!Even though the tree may look green and pretty that is a sign of stress growth. Trees when they are dying hallow out and bees see this hallow cavity as a great place to build a hive in! Please contact an arborist and cut down that tree. I know about these things! Namaste
Oh, I forgot, that fungus means the tree is not only D.O.A. but disease! Please have it remove before it crashes down and does some damage! Tree One out K.M. 741 out!
So please tell us how your fungus goes from tree to table!
Question for Yoga Gal:
Why would you want to take down a tree just because it is old or dying? I can understand it if the tree was likely to fall on your house, or if it had a disease or parasite that threatened other trees in the region, but otherwise, old, dying, and dead trees play an important role in the ecology of a place. They serve as sources of food and homes for many types of birds, starting with woodpeckers and including many species of secondary cavity nesters, like chickadees, bluebirds, owls, wood ducks, and tree swallows. Mammals, too, like squirrels and racoons, benefit from hollow spaces in trees. Even once a tree falls in the forest, it has a job to do as a nurse log for new growth, food for insects, or mulch and fertilizer for the soil. Man's insistance on a neat and orderly environment often leads to removal of necessary elements of Nature.
Just my thoughts,
~Kathi
Answer to removal of a dying and disease tree, it can infect over trees, plants and harm wildlife.
How? I understand that it could infect other trees, but it doesn't look tlike that's what happens. According to Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laetiporus "Rarely, however, does the fungus prove fatal to its host, though it may cause its host tree to decay to the point where wind or hail could knock it down." Seems like that would be good. How would it harm wildlife?
I have to say, I agree with katdoc on this one. Trees die and it is an important part of an ecosystem--for both food and shelter to other animals.
There are times when tree removal is necessary ie: Dutch elm disease, but that is not the case with this particular oak. And it's true, sulphur shelf can grown on a tree for years without killing the tree. Lots of insects live in the fungus and lots of creatures--including deer will eat it as well.
This tree is out on it's own, well away from the hives and house so even if it did fall tomorrow, nothing will be in much danger. But dead trees should be left up when they can to provide insects for birds to eat and housing for mammals and birds.
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