The fall is a time of decay and our celebrity mushrooms are out this year. The super-star shaped mushroom hangs out by the library, the destroying angel (Amanita spp.), sunbathes on the east side of the gymnasium, the giant puffball begins to decompose on the athletic fields, and the little-brown-mushroom hides inconspicuously by the parking lot. Together, these mushrooms help to break down Queens College. The mushrooms also hang in the air—the giant puffball releasing nine trillion spores in its breath.

Like some mushrooms, birds also hang out on the ground. The only species observed migrating south this year are the Canadian goose. Other non-migrant species include the Robin, the White-Throated Sparrow, the Starling, the swallow, the seagull, and the mockingbird.

Destroying Angel (Amanita spp.), hanging out by the Gym

Giant Puffball Mushroom (Calvatea gigantea):

Stay posted for pictures and more studies regarding fungi in the air and birds on the ground.

David Jakim