{"id":20182,"date":"2022-09-21T13:40:51","date_gmt":"2022-09-21T11:40:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=20182"},"modified":"2022-11-07T15:52:13","modified_gmt":"2022-11-07T14:52:13","slug":"rise-shine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/2022\/09\/21\/rise-shine\/","title":{"rendered":"Rise & shine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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PORTFOLIO<\/h5>\n\n

Rise & Shine<\/h2>\n\n

Strange but beautiful fungi and slime moulds are popping up beneath our feet. It\u2019s time to slow down and marvel at a magical techicolour show. <\/p>\n\n

Photos by JAN VERMEER<\/p>\n\n

In the limelight <\/strong>(above) <\/h5>\n\n

An iconic, fairy-tale fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria) <\/em>stands proud in a damp autumn woodland in 2019 \u2013 the start of Dutch photographer Jan Vermeer\u2019s voyage into the mysterious world of fungi. He used a 40-year-old camera lens to create the \u2018bokeh\u2019, soft focus effect. <\/p>\n\n

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It\u2019s in the name <\/h5>\n\n

The shocking blood-red cap of the aptly named bloody brittlegill (Russula<\/em> sanguinaria) <\/em>can be seen in coniferous forests. The generic name of the mushroom, Russula, <\/em>means red, and sanguinea <\/em>is derived from the Latin sanguis, <\/em>which means blood. <\/p>\n\n

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Microscopic world <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

\u201cThe blue dots are the slime mould Physarum <\/em>album, <\/em>which is closely related to mushrooms,\u201d says Jan. \u201cThey are tiny, maybe 5mm so you need a special 25mm lens to capture them \u2013 a normal macro lens isn\u2019t close enough.\u201d A larva belonging to the Isopod order can also be seen. <\/p>\n\n

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Roll up, roll up <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

You could be looking up at the roof of a circus tent but this is actually sunlight shining through the two-toned gills of Laccaria <\/em>bicolor <\/em>\u2013 with a small springtail tightrope walker near the centre. \u201cFungi are what I call \u2018nature monuments\u2019,\u201d says Jan. \u201cYou have to approach them like a work of art.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

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Coastal blue <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

The astonishing turquoise colour of Stropharia <\/em>aeruginosa, <\/em>commonly known as verdigiris agaric, was on Jan\u2019s \u2018top 10\u2019 wish list to see, and social media proved helpful. After spotting an image of the mushroom on Facebook, Jan approached the photographer who kindly shared its location in a coastal pine plantation. <\/p>\n\n

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Tickled pink <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Dependant on elm trees, which were decimated throughout much of Europe due to Dutch elm disease, these wrinkled peach mushrooms (Rhodotus<\/em> palmatus) <\/em>are very scarce. Jan travelled 15km every day for 20 days before he found these specimens. <\/p>\n\n

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Sponge fingers <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

A magnifying glass is needed to appreciate the 1cm-long \u2018sporocarps\u2019 of Arcyria <\/em>obvelata, <\/em>which look rather like skinny fingers with black nails. The slime mould can be found growing on dead wood. <\/p>\n\n

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Hairs standing on end <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

What you are seeing here is actually a fungus on a fungus. The parasitic fungus Spinellus <\/em>fusiger, <\/em>or bonnet mould, is growing atop the cap of a Mycena <\/em>epipterygya <\/em>mushroom, its hair-like sporebearing \u2018sporangiophores\u2019 bejewelled with dewy droplets. Using a backlight and a tripod, 25 images were taken to create a composite image capturing every detail. \u201cYou need absolute sharpness from beginning to end,\u201d says Jan. <\/p>\n\n

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Close to home <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

The slimy, branching, bright-orange \u2018basidiocarps\u2019 of Calocera <\/em>viscosa, <\/em>or yellow stagshorn, is a common sight on decaying pine wood. Jan has travelled to exotic locations to photograph wildlife, but the lockdowns of Covid-19 compelled him to spend time searching for Holland\u2019s 5,000 mushroom species: \u201cYou must have a respect for the nature in your own backyard.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

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Perfect timing <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

In deep midwinter, a springtail carefully traces the circumference of a Polyporus <\/em>brumalis <\/em>\u2013 a mushroom that favours dead hardwood, usually birch. Springtails are commonly found among leaf litter, soil and dead bark, but Jan says it was luck that it turned up here at just the right moment. <\/p>\n\n

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Jewel in the crown <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Laccaria amethystina, <\/em>commonly known as the \u2018amethyst deceiver\u2019, is a small brightlycoloured mushroom that grows in coniferous and deciduous forests, particularly beech woods. Its deep purple hue makes it stand out against the leaf litter, though the brightness tends to fade as the mushroom ages. <\/p>\n\n

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Now you see me <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

A pioneer of the mushroom world, Omphalina <\/em>chlorocyanea <\/em>can be found popping up on the disturbed ground of housing developments. It\u2019s small (just 2cm high) and ephemeral \u2013 appearing for a couple of years and then disappearing again. <\/p>\n\n

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Keeping schtum <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

It\u2019s unusual to find oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus<\/em> ostreatus) <\/em>outside of the supermarket \u2013 more often than not they\u2019ve already been eaten. In a highly populated country such as Holland, Jan frequently found his fellow fungi fanatics reluctant to reveal the whereabouts of the species, in fear of the prized beauties being foraged. <\/p>\n\n

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Ice, ice baby <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

In extreme close-up, the white and translucent branches of Ceratiomyxa <\/em>fruticulosa <\/em>resemble coral or upright icicles, but it is a widespread species of slime mould, which can often be spotted growing on damp or dead wood. <\/p>\n\n

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Total focus <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Often Jan would spend one or two hours photographing his subject \u2013 here a Helvella crispa. <\/em>\u201cTo make something new is incredibly difficult, there are so many talented photographers,\u201d he reflects. \u201cYou have to focus on a particular subject, go deep and invest a lot of time \u2013 that\u2019s the only way.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

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ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Jan Vermeer is a photographer, author and speaker based in Holland. He has travelled the world as a professional wildlife photographer, visiting over 50 countries. See more of his work at <\/span>janvermeer.nl<\/a>, where you can also purchase <\/span>Paddenstoelen, <\/em>his recently published book of fungi photography.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Strange but beautiful fungi and slime moulds are popping up beneath our feet. It\u2019s time to slow down and marvel at a magical techicolour show. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":20166,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"70","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"70","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_70-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_70-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"October-2022","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"October-2022","purple_external_id":"October-2022-70-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"October-2022-70-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000087236||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000087236||","purple_android_product":"com.im.wildlife.496","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.wildlife.496","purple_ios_product":"com.im.wildlife.496","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.wildlife.496","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"58d61955-0ac4-406c-83f1-ab6f21d86b70","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2022-09-22T08:30:22Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"60534eb0-3c79-45ed-9c70-03af4b9f5af7","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2022-09-23T07:17:12Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAw==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AYFNOsDx5Re2ccAOvS59a9w","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":true,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[27],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/09\/4e4164ca-c5d1-4d90-9561-4be71c20a146.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"6","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/09\/4e4164ca-c5d1-4d90-9561-4be71c20a146.jpg",2048,1355,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/09\/4e4164ca-c5d1-4d90-9561-4be71c20a146-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/09\/4e4164ca-c5d1-4d90-9561-4be71c20a146-300x198.jpg",300,198,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/09\/4e4164ca-c5d1-4d90-9561-4be71c20a146-768x508.jpg",768,508,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/09\/4e4164ca-c5d1-4d90-9561-4be71c20a146-1024x678.jpg",800,530,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/09\/4e4164ca-c5d1-4d90-9561-4be71c20a146-1536x1016.jpg",1536,1016,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/09\/4e4164ca-c5d1-4d90-9561-4be71c20a146.jpg",2048,1355,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Strange but beautiful fungi and slime moulds are popping up beneath our feet. 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