A Fungi and a handsome fungus beetle.

At Botanic Island Two I came across a huge thick fungi that had a beetle below it. The beetle belongs to the Endomychidae family and are commonly called 'Handsome Fungus Beetles' due to their association with fungus. The four yellow dots on its black elytra (hardened forewings) were in striking contrast.

November in the park

View of Zone E facing north. Taken in the early morning light.

 Early November was a transitional period of the yearly monsoon season.  Soon, perhaps towards the middle of the month, the real North-east monsoon will arrive Bintulu's shores. From what I see so far, this end of year monsoon is arriving according to textbook timing, though its real impact and true story is yet to be unfolded in the coming days and months. All over the park the red ants (Kerengga) are seen busy building nests and after a light rain, I walked around the park to stumble upon the 'Kulat Jelutong' which is edible. I look forward to more rains in November and December.

Red ants (Kerengga - Malay) building nest at the 'Miding' fern

Edible "Kulat Jelutong" growing on a rotting 'Pong-Pong stump.

"Kulat Jelutong"

Come September

Highlights today at the park - 23 June'15

A tiny blue fungi
Location : Zone A

The Cempedak tree ( Artocarpus champeden) starting to bear fruit- a hybrid variety (Cempedak Madu).  The fruits (aril)  are very sweet and juicy.
Location : Zone C

A large white fungi
Location : Zone D

A fungi morning

Large saucer - shaped  white fungus
Location : Provinsi Rattan, Zone I

Top view of white fungus

 This morning was a fungi morning.  I checked in at the Botanic Island Three especially at the Provinsi Rattan area.  There I stumbled upon three unique varieties.  One  exotic kind was a red Parasol Fungus.  Then there was one black and white fungus, all of which were seen close to dead and rotting fallen tree trunks.  Fungus produce reproductive spores.  Like many green plants they are assisted by insects to help disperse the spores.   Some fungus produce unpleasant liquid that attract flies which collect spores on their feet to scatter elsewhere.  Other fungi explode, scattering their their dust-like spores within the vicinity.  Another variety of fungus impregnate insects which move on and then die, providing nutrition for the fungi which grow from their bodies.  Upon infecting another insect they continue to scatter their spores thus sustaining their survival.

Red Parasol  fungus
Location : Provinsi Ratan, Botanic Island Three

White-rimmed Black fungus
Location : Provinsi Rattan, Botanic Island Three

Parasol and purple Cup fungus

Purple fungus having cup features, growing close to base of the oil palm tree.
Location : Zone A

Purple parasol or umbrella-like fungus

 Today I stumbled upon two types of fungus but with one similarity, both are purple in colour.  They were seen growing near decomposed branches of the oil palm and other organic matter around the base of the oil palm tree trunk.  The fungi is conveniently placed under the plant kingdom but in reality they are very different from plants. Fungus don't have chlorophyll, their cells are not made of cellulose but of another complex sugar-like polymer called chitin.  However, it is because that they enter into all sorts of relationship with plants that they are included in the plant kingdom.  For example, they live on dead plant matter and by the same token can cause diseases to plants which can result in entire crops being wiped out by fungal attack. For humans there are of course some useful things derived from fungus  e.g. penicillin for clinical medicine, yeast for cheese.  Then,  there are the many types of edible mushrooms that are grown on commercial scales for human consumption the world over.

Parasol or Umbrella-like fungus, growing next to decomposed oil palm branches
Location : Zone A

Orange cup fungus

Cup fungus

 Rummaging under the canopy of trees and rattan at Provinsi Rattan this afternoon, I stumbled upon the cup fungus.  This is the first time I come across this orange coloured cup fungus.
Fungi feed by digesting organic mater with special enzymes.  From the jungle floor they take up significant minerals which it 'give back' to the trees when the fungus consume sugar (carbohydrates for its energy)  and nitrogen substances from the tree roots and other living tissues.  This relationship is symbiotic.   As a living entity fungi cannot gain energy direct from the sun or through photosynthesis. 

Location : Provinsi Rattan

Fungi watch album - Lace Fungi

Lace fungi

 I was walking through the exotic fruit trees area and bamboo clumps location when my eyes was caught by something whitish pink on the ground.  On closer observation I noticed a Lace fungi that has just opened its 'net' that looked like a see-through skirt.  What a fanciful work of nature.  I saw red ants attracted to it...but then on zooming the pictures they were so many kinds and colours of flies that are also attracted to the fungi.  I guess I'll start a new watch album about the fungi world...But more of it later.  enjoy the pictures!!