What makes mulch stink

Did you find this article useful? Please tell us why Submit. Check out the Forestry B. Learn More. Gardening in Michigan. Weather - Drought. I thought it was a discarded piece of packing foam but on closer inspection I realized it was a delicate and intricate cage-like fungus — a hollow ball with interlaced branches.

I researched and identified the fungus as Clathrus ruber, Red Cage Stinkhorn fungus. It relies on flies for distribution. The slime has a rotten meat smell that attracts flies, which get coated in the spore containing slime and carry it away to germinate into a new crop of fungi.

The fungus is saprobic, feeding off decaying woody plant material. This year, another Clathrus rubergrouping appeared nestled among wood chip garden mulch. This fungus is relatively rare but a beautiful sight to behold. Environmental Conservation. Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory. North American Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative. Crops, Dairy, Livestock and Equine. Greenhouse Crops and Floriculture. Pesticide Education. June 30, Envirothon Mass.

Herp Atlas Mass.