Behold! The Slime Mold!

 It isn't a very kindhearted name for what is a pretty astounding little single cell critter...who occasionally sends out a chemical signal to other slime molds and then they become a giant single cell full of nuclei or a temporary multicellular critter. 

I think they are fascinating and as a budding mycologist,  I welcome them! 

They have intelligence without having a pesky brain or even nervous system. Studies have shown they can solve complex transportation problems- they know how to find the most efficient way through a maze to get to the food on the other side. They also have some way to mark the passage of time and can anticipate routine events...and they can learn to like stuff they don't normally like. But even more cool than that? Once they are habituated to something and then become hooked up with other single cell slime molds? They share that knowledge and all of them behave the way the wise one does. 

We have been lucky enough to host TWO slime molds this summer. One in the front yard on the mulch (they like mulch) last week and today, as I was wistfully thinking about how I wished another slime mold would come along...Tom comes in and announces the arrival of another slime mold! I took it oatmeal. I read mycologists will use flakes of oatmeal to coax them along. I will check for progress tomorrow- it does look like we may be on the spore releasing end of it- looked a little dry but one can hope. And of course, it would be rude to have a guest and not offer them some sort of refreshment. 

Behold, the slime molds of summer:

Second chance slime mold! 

Oats for the slime! 

First slime mold that appeared in our mulch