I’d like to report the occurrence of slime molds at the "Park" for Myxomycetes located in my woods. What is My Myxomycetes Park?
It might be a bit of an exaggeration to say this, but to explain clearly, I've gathered dead logs from various places and arranged them in the corner of my own woods in order to feel free to observe slime molds at any time.
The other day, I noticed the Myxomycetes occurred on a decayed damp log at the "park". As a matter of fact, they seemed to be still immature fruiting bodies. They looked white, shiny and fresh. It reminds me of an ice bar with a stick (perhaps Japanese English?) .
What does this look like? This is not a grain of boiled rice！
But in the next day, they transformed drastically with maturity. Judging from the appearance, I think this belongs to the genus Stremonitis.
It goes without saying that it is necessary to check the shape of capillitia and spores in details using a microscope in order to determine the species, though.
Putting that aside, they are looking like fingers with nails. 
Please compare below photo with the first. You can realize the drastic changes. Fruiting bodies are filled with spores.
Above photos were taken on May 14th and 15th.
Very roughly speaking, I think the Myxomycetes can be divided into two groups depending on where they form fruiting bodies. That is to say, one group forms fruiting bodies on the dead fallen leaves and the other on the dead damp logs.
As for the latter group, even if many fruiting bodies were formed on certain dead logs this year, numbers of fruiting bodies might decrease on the same logs next year or fruiting bodies would no longer occur the year after next. This is because as logs decay further, they would be useless for slime molds.
Recently I feel that the number of the decayed logs favorable for the growth of slime mold has been steadily decreasing in the woods where I always investigate, unless decayed logs were added anew. The favorable dead logs mean those from oak trees, other deciduous trees and the pine trees, to name a few.
Since almost all the trees in near-by woods are occupied by ceder trees and cypress trees and these dead logs are unfavorable for the occurrence of slime molds in my experience. I think if let nature take its course, there would be a shortage of decayed logs favorable for slime molds in the woods.
From this point of view, I have collected many dead logs suitable for slime molds from various places, put them at the corner of my woods last year to make the "park" (below photo). But I think it really just looks like the garbage dump to the person who do not know the circumstances.
As a matter of fact, before making this "park", I made the similar "park" at the shady place in my orchard about 2 years ago. But this place seemed to be not shady as I expected. Especially at least in the morning till noon. So, I looked for the suitable place for the occurrence of slime molds.
↓ This is Hemitrichia serpula known as the pretzel slime mold that I happened to find at the my "park" made in the orchard last year.
I feel free to go there frequently and I can always check the occurrence of Myxomycetes, I can add the decayed logs as much as I like. In addition, it is not necessary for me to wander in the woods to look for slime molds. These are the good points of my"park".
Last updated on Octobar 26th.
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