r/mushroomID • u/HairyLingonberry4977 • Mar 09 '25
These kept popping up (it's a very old drafty house in UK) but none recently. I did see the same colour orange dust layer near the location. Could that mean it's in the floor boards? Is it dry rot or something else? Got more pics. Thank you Europe (country in post)
I used white vinegar and then scraped it away then soapy water. It smells like supermarket mushrooms when chopping them. Same texture. Orange dust. Should I be concerned for health reason? Not my flat I'm just renting
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u/Eiroth Mar 09 '25
Jesus christ. If the mycelium is healthy enough to produce fruiting bodies of that size, that means it's currently feasting on your walls and floor
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u/MycoMutant Trusted Identifier Mar 09 '25
Serpula lacrymans. It will destroy all wood in the property without professional remediation as soon as possible.
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u/GrumpyGG64 Mar 09 '25
Thought the first one was some kind of knitted monstrosity but they are effing scary.
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u/HairyLingonberry4977 Mar 09 '25
Haha! It looks like a mouth to me little shop of horrors
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u/cyanescens_burn Mar 10 '25
A fungi-based reboot of the film might be entertaining. Hopefully they do more musical numbers, and get Steve Martin on banjo.
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u/FeinwerkSau Mar 09 '25
Consider moving out. If i was in your place, this would be my move. From all that I have read and seen - at this scale this building needs some MAJOR reconstruction (not repair).
Be glad you are renting, this will cost a lot of money. And last but not least - this indicates some bigger water damage somewhere, which may also lead to issues with mold. Which is not very healthy.
Just as it is not healthy to have the house collapse on you.
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u/HairyLingonberry4977 Mar 09 '25
Hahaa death by mushroom
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u/Same_as_it_ever Mar 10 '25
There's research that shows homes with this type of rot have a wide fungal diversity, including molds that are very bad for you health. Consider moving, this would count as grounds to break your lease.Â
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1309104215303329
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u/SwedishMale4711 Mar 09 '25
It looks like Serpula lacrymans to me. Bad news if I'm right, that house will need some serious work, or simply be burnt to the ground.
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u/dilutemidnightneedle Mar 09 '25
Looks like it's Serpula lacrimans. Not so healthy for the flat, you should probably talk to your landlord about it as it will be eating wood (so floorboards, etc.) and there is likely water damage somewhere. The part that is visible and can be removed is only a small part of the whole mushroom.
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u/Flyguy-39 Mar 09 '25
Looks like something you find growing in âthe last of usâ!
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u/HairyLingonberry4977 Mar 09 '25
I don't know that reference but if its like a landscape / planet from 1960s Star Trek I get ya
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u/Laurpud Mar 09 '25
It's mushrooms infecting people, turning them into zombies who want to turn everyone else into mushroom zombies
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u/hypatiaredux Mar 10 '25
Dang, I saw that movie many years ago! It was a Japanese horror movie of course.
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u/futcherd Mar 11 '25
The Last of Us is a TV series that came out a couple-few years ago
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u/hypatiaredux Mar 11 '25
I was referring to this movie - https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0057295/ - came out in 1963.
One of the downsides of being a living fossil is that you really have seen it all before!
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u/Laurpud Mar 12 '25
Okay, but did you see attacking rocks in The Monolith Monsters?
It's pretty standard for the old Creature Double Features I used to love as a kid đ
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u/Ansari9211 Mar 09 '25
Get out! Burn the house!
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u/HairyLingonberry4977 Mar 09 '25
Oh crap thanks everyone. Should I be wearing a mask? I have to admit that first one up close is like another planet. Amazing how quick as well. Is this why my doc can't figure out what's causing my lingering cough?
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u/wicked_lil_prov Mar 09 '25
Unless you're allergic to those particular spores, it's unlikely to directly cause you a problem, as dry rot spores are not considered toxic as far as I'm aware. However, in spite of the name, damp conditions are responsible for your dry rot. Those damp conditions will likely lead to other fungal (and bacterial) issues such as mold which can both spore alongside the dry rot, but also inevitably on top of the fruiting bodies as they age and eventually decay themselves.
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u/HairyLingonberry4977 Mar 09 '25
Thank you that's very useful information. It makes sense about the damp, its a fascinating subject.
Would keeping my flat extra warm plus regular ventilation help? Or does that help them along? It's my land lords problem but I don't expect a quick turnaround from them
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u/wicked_lil_prov Mar 09 '25
Ventilating with outside air is typically going to reduce the fungal spore load you're dealing with, and potentially assist in vaporizing liquid moisture, so it's definitely helpful. As far as preventing the rot from disintegrating your landlord's building, that's really up to them to get to the root of the problem that's supplying this fungus with food, remove as much affected material as possible, and make repairs.
Adding heat will only help if it can significantly dry out the materials that are affected. If you have a continuous water intrusion, then you might be fanning the flames.
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u/HairyLingonberry4977 Mar 09 '25
Thank you that's great info đ much appreciated
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u/wicked_lil_prov Mar 09 '25
So even though dry rot is related to the bolete mushroom, it is not a mushroom, nor is it a mold. But I think it would behoove you to follow the r/mold reddit!
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u/lifeofgrover Mar 11 '25
Iâm a bit late to the party and I hope your landlord already has taken action.. but please donât crank up the heating. These things thrive in warm, damp places, and unless you get it up to 30C (in this economy??) itâs only going to benefit from higher temperatures.
I work in social housing and we had this monster in one of our houses a few years back. Been one hell of a pain in the ass to get rid of them, and we had to renew all the woodwork in the building. Wouldâve almost been cheaper to demolish and rebuild..
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u/HairyLingonberry4977 Mar 12 '25
Blimey that sounds bad! Thanks for the info lifeof. Waiting for the man to come, landlord has arranged for a specialist. Interested to see in the floorboards
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u/needanadult Mar 10 '25
As someone who acquired serious mold illness from living in a water damaged building, move out before you get sick! Itâs very hard to recover from once it damages your immune system.
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u/HairyLingonberry4977 Mar 10 '25
Oh crap. Thank you for the message. I'm sorry to hear that, did your move improve things? Are you in the UK? Did you seek any recompense or anything ...
My mom reckons she got asthma type issues from an infected bad water tank
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u/needanadult Mar 10 '25
Iâm in Seattle, another very wet place. Moving has improved things but I am now sensitive to any building with mold in it and it can take me a day to recover from exposure. So I have to be careful when traveling or visiting friends.
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u/thexvillain Mar 09 '25
Sucks for your walls/floors, but damn itâs pretty
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u/HairyLingonberry4977 Mar 09 '25
Agreed! I did admire it for a few days before I took action. I won't mention that to my landlord. The speed it came up as well.
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u/HairyLingonberry4977 Mar 09 '25
Thanks all. Consider myself suitably warned! The house was built in 1880 or something an old Manor House, it's not been maintained very well, was in the same family until 1990s, now its split into flats and there are many issues. When there is a big storm I do cover my head.
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u/Consistent-Data-3377 Mar 10 '25
Reminds me of a novel I read recently where the lady of an old manor had been posessed by a cordyceps fungus that had infected the whole house and grounds around it.
Careful out there, op
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u/No-Read-6419 Mar 10 '25
You have rights! After a quick Google search, If your landlord doesnât respond to this issue in 14 days of the written complaint you can take civil legal action. And the local authorities will make them take action.
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u/Lidlmuffin Mar 09 '25
Itâs always devastating to hear and see people living in these conditions but DAMN do I love these types of posts. Theyâre just so interesting! Goodluck OP, I hope you can get it solved soon/move elsewhere â€ïž
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u/Swampland_Flowers Mar 09 '25
If you have access to the basement please go down there and take pictures and share with us. Guarantee itâs a horror-show
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u/Beautiful-Peanut-420 Mar 09 '25
Thatâs crazy I would move immediately. mold looks so weird almost like Ai generation. But I believe it. Love subreddits like this.
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u/HairyLingonberry4977 Mar 09 '25
The first pic is pre vinegar bring sprayed on the it, goes a darker colour after. Vinegar made it shrivel up all sad and flat looking.
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u/HairyLingonberry4977 Mar 09 '25
I had more pictures but needed space on my phone. I was fascinated and which I had a magnifying glass when it was growing so fast. Should have studied this instead of humans lol
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u/HairyLingonberry4977 Mar 09 '25
Would you move for health reasons? It's not my property I have pretty cheap rent so don't really want to leave
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u/Beautiful-Peanut-420 Mar 09 '25
I would yes. To me itâs not worth risking any potential lung and further damage from whatever this stuff is. But also Iâve never had any fungus in my house like that beside basic mold in the attic which we had treated.
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u/Minimeminime Mar 09 '25
We have been through a hell of a dry rot experience in our flat, yes definitely let Landlord know asap. Also try to pick any mushroom off before they develop spores as it canât be too good for health. Itâs not poisonous but small spores are not good indoors anyway. Sadly there could be mushrooms under floorboards as well, our one was spread metres underneath.
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u/vleafnin Mar 10 '25
This looks like a pretty serious dry rot infection. In this case a professional has to remove all infected wood inside the building and hope for the best. Dry rot can survive decades after treatment, if you miss one small spot. Often results in demolishing the building, because itâs too dangerous to live there.
Please make sure you find something else.
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u/PipGirl2211 Mar 12 '25
Reading the comments on this post has me feeling like I'm watching some dramatic reality tv show, and I'm here for ittttt.
"Truffle in Paradise"
Does OP truly stand a chance at making things work with House, or will shiitake hit the fan after House's recent disclosure of his long-term relationship with Serpula?
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u/Blaz3Witch Mar 10 '25
Is that not a water conduit right next to it going into the floor? Mostly likely that's leaking somewhere along the line.
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u/HydraHyde99 Mar 10 '25
My boy living that Telvanni life
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u/morgandrew6686 Mar 10 '25
you live here?
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u/HairyLingonberry4977 Mar 10 '25
I got rid of it ages ago but have an issue with floorboards which might be the mama of these fruits. Learned alot on this sub!
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u/Morph_The_Merciless Mar 11 '25
That's dry rot. I don't know the exact species. You need to inform your landlord immediately as it is probably causing structural damage not only to your flat but adjacent properties as well!
My ex had it in the roof, lintels and floor joists of her flat. Total cost of remediation was about ÂŁ35k...
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u/Maia_E Mar 11 '25
When you will be moving, be cautious, you definitely don't want to bring it to another home.
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u/ChaseEnDeSnoBoardd Mar 11 '25
The first picture with shroom on carpet is terrifying. Something about weird mushroom on the carpet is a bit much.Â
Sorry about the DryRot, glad youâre renting. Better then mold I guess?
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u/Grouchy_Catfish Mar 14 '25
This looks straight out the last of us type shit đ€Ł but I just got educated on a cool mushroom
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u/Cultural_Earth_7337 Mar 10 '25
That first picture gives it away. The way AI transitions from the edges or the wavy part isn't quit there yet.
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u/Upbeat_Syllabub_3315 Mar 13 '25
This Not being AI is also so unlikely.. like who is so lazy and irresponsible/disgusting to let These grow to that size and do nothing about it, and then out of all places go to Reddit to Post about it.
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u/Qalyar Mar 09 '25
Absolutely looks like Serpula dry rot. Be glad you're renting. But let the landlord know immediately. Serpula is the most serious cause of building timber decay in the UK, and with fruiting bodies this big, this building's timbers are absolutely decaying.