# What is this wierd yard pus, anyway? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 19, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-wierd-yard-pus-anyway/457080 "2008-07-19T20:39:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![3acresandatruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e79b87/32.png) [@3acresandatruck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3acresandatruck)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-wierd-yard-pus-anyway/457080/1 "2008-07-19T20:39:23Z")
[It looked like this at first.](http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn106/3aaat/house001/yardschmutz02.jpg) Where I smeared at it, it was soft and separated into lumps and a runnier part. [Later the same day, it looked like this.](http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn106/3aaat/house001/yardschmutz03.jpg) At this point it was firmer, kind of spongy to the touch. When I poked into it, it was firm and didn’t cling. [At the end of the day, it looked like this.](http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn106/3aaat/house001/yardschmutz07.jpg) I broke a lobe, near the 3" mark on the measure. It was dry, stiff, and the interior was a black, slightly crumbly substance. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-wierd-yard-pus-anyway/457080/2 "2008-07-19T20:53:01Z")
[Slime](http://herbarium.usu.edu/fungi/FunFacts/slimemold.htm) [Mold](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slime_mold)! CMC +fnord! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-wierd-yard-pus-anyway/457080/3 "2008-07-19T20:53:13Z")
It looks a lot like a slime fungus (Fuligo septica). My Mushroom book does not have pictures of that type of fungus though. I googled Slime Fungus and got several hits that look likely. This one looks the closest and gave me the Scientific name: [http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ww0504.htm#Slime](http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ww0504.htm#Slime) Jim ---
**Author:** ![3acresandatruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e79b87/32.png) [@3acresandatruck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3acresandatruck)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-wierd-yard-pus-anyway/457080/4 "2008-07-19T21:05:07Z")
**crowmanyclouds** and **What Exit?** , that’s it! Thanks! Cool oozy stuff at those links. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-wierd-yard-pus-anyway/457080/5 "2008-07-19T21:28:00Z")
I really hope that’s not your toothbrush you are poking it with in the first pic! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-wierd-yard-pus-anyway/457080/6 "2008-07-19T21:31:13Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] I really hope that’s not your toothbrush you are poking it with in the first pic! [/QUOTE] 😃 My wife was looking at the picture and said it would be easier to tell with a close-up. My reply was, “How close do you want it, he is already poking it with his toothbrush”. She, “Ick!” ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-wierd-yard-pus-anyway/457080/7 "2008-07-19T21:33:03Z")
I should note that the unofficial common name for that particular critter is the charming moniker of “ **Dog Vomit Slime Mold** ” 😛 ( also occasionally “Deer Vomit”, when encountered in the wild ). I always loved that. ---
**Author:** ![3acresandatruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e79b87/32.png) [@3acresandatruck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3acresandatruck)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-wierd-yard-pus-anyway/457080/8 "2008-07-19T21:42:01Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] I really hope that’s not your toothbrush you are poking it with in the first pic! [/QUOTE] Well, it \*does \*say REACH on it… You didn’t think I was going to stick my \*finger \*in there did you? Not till later, when it wasn’t nearly as icky. ETA: **What Exit?** , that picture is a little bigger than life-size. The one with the tothbrush, I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-wierd-yard-pus-anyway/457080/9 "2008-07-19T22:00:23Z")
[QUOTE=3acresandatruck] [At the end of the day, it looked like this.](http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn106/3aaat/house001/yardschmutz07.jpg) I broke a lobe, near the 3" mark on the measure. It was dry, stiff, and the interior was a black, slightly crumbly substance. [/QUOTE] Feed it some cooked rice or oatmeal. Maybe it’ll sit up and do tricks for you. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-wierd-yard-pus-anyway/457080/10 "2008-07-20T21:07:34Z")
You guys are all wrong. That is Tyrannosaurus Rex jizz. Go out and buy a [Nitro 700](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.700_Nitro_Express) post-haste,