Vivid images capture the colors and fine structures of fungi and slime molds found in New Zealand. The pictures come from Jay Lichter’s book The Secret Life of Fungi.
One example shows the ruby bonnet fungus, named for its sticky, blood-red coating that forms droplets on the stem. The reflections in these droplets create striking images, according to the photographer.
Another photo features Cribraria slime mold, a protist similar to algae and amoebas. The carnival candy slime mold appears below it, forming small pink tufts only a few millimeters high during its fruiting stage.
Lichter also found the uncommon Mycena lividorubra beneath a log in the Waitākere Ranges. A separate Mycena specimen is shown covered by mold resembling a veil, with droplets of excess moisture along its threads.
The book aims to encourage readers to seek out fungi in forests, mossy areas, or even urban spots like car parks, where such life often thrives unnoticed.
