November 29, 2010

Calling All Gardeners or Don’t Look if You Are Eating!!!

 

This is a totally gross post straight out of the “Outer Limits”, but I am determined to identify this alien creature growing in my yard!!! 

If you are squeamish you have time to leave now.   I made sure to write a lot so the pictures wouldn’t be immediately seen.  I’m also using this weird font because…well,  this is a weird post!

Caroline discovered these ‘extraterrestrial lake monsters’ on Thanksgiving morning.  She came in and told me we had an octopus growing in the front of the house and insisted that I take a look at it. I wish I had taken a picture then.  It was standing up about 5” out of the ground…all proudly branched out – looking a lot like, uh, an octopus!

We went back outdoors together and I'm sure you could hear us ‘grossing out’ all over the neighborhood!   These things were growing straight up and to me they looked just like crab leg clusters.   We could tell they were growing  hatching from a white bulb that looked a  lot like a soft round egg (mushroom texture).   There were little white eggs,  partially out of the ground,  that just begged for some stick probing,  so I obliged them and started examining them closer.  I expected to be grabbed up by a giant octopus waiting  in a flying saucer and taken directly to Outer Octopusville!!!  My test revealed that the eggs held these little unborn things, in a perfect fetal position!   Caroline screamed,  which scared the *@%#%^@*$ out of me!  I dropped the stick and we both ran for safety!!  We startled G-Man pretty good with our scream-laughing and door slamming!  Of course, we made him go look at them.  He wasn’t as disturbed, but he had never seen before either.

This is just plain creepy, I tell you!!  Not to mention GROSS!!

So, what on earth is this?   Does Anyone know?   

These pictures were taken four days after I dug them up so they have dried up a lot.

An ‘unborn’ egg is below the one that is partially hatched.

 

 

 

 
What the heck is this stuff...it’s really creeping me out!

And what is that stuff between the appendages???  SICK!

 

 

Here is one still in the fetal position!    YUCK!!!   I know  TMI -    Sorry

I sure hope someone knows what this is.  And, I am sorry if this gives you nightmares!!!!

But, watch your backs…you might just have Alien Octopi growing in your yard, too!  Winking smile

Outdoor Wednesday

Rhonda

27 comments:

  1. oh, my.....i have never seen such a thing. Tell me where your located again?

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  2. I'm not sure. The last picture really does look like crab legs though. It may be some kind of egg spore that sprouted but I have no clue.

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  3. Check this out...looks similar?

    http://www.floridata.com/tracks/transplantedgardener/stinkhorns.cfm

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  4. Okay, that is gross! I would have screamed, too! So, it's a living thing or a plant or that's what you don't know I agree with Leslie that it looks like crab legs, but I'm guessing you're not in an area where that would be the answer. I have never seen this before. You should just be glad you are not a pod person now! Caroline was right to scream and run away! : ) That was obviously the only way to handle this situation.

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  5. http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/crypto/msg1010135428174.html

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  6. I would have screamed and ran too. That is gross and I have no idea what it is. I bet though that it is related to mushrooms. HOpe you find out - I want to know.

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  7. Eeewww... oh boy, they're s'posed to be good for the soil, but they sure ain't to purdy to look at.

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  8. Yes...this is sooooo gross...I would have screamed too! Sorry, but I have no idea what this is:(

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  9. Eeeeeegads!!!!! Glad that is in your backyard and not mine!!!! (O:(O:(O:(O:

    Hugs,

    Jop

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  10. We have seen those somewhere...trying to remember where=think it was in the woods in Northern Michigan. I believe they are a spore thing like a mushroom. They are ugly as all getout, aren't they? The ones we saw were not that big though-but they were that color and formed like that. UGLY! And I remember someone telling us that they smell horrible. Good luck getting rid of them! Diana

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  11. Oh My GOODNESS I sure hope that someone out there can help you identify what it is!

    Thanks Rhonda for your visit and leaving such a sweet comment about my Christmas mantel.

    Enjoy your evening,
    Gail

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  12. That is gross. Not sure what that is, but it probably is some sort of fungus like a mushroom.

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  13. Rhonda you certainly were right about grossing us out. hahaha
    Honey I am older than the dirt they are laying on and I have never in my life seen anything like you have in your yard.
    How close do you live to me?
    You have us all wondering what the heck?
    Be sure and let me know when you find out because remember I live by myself and I don't need these things taking over our country.
    I hope I sleep tonight...lol
    Love
    Maggie

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  14. Okay, I have found out what this ugly thing in my yard is thanks to Fish Tail Cottage's comment.
    It is a fungus called octopus stinkhorn. I guess they came in with the mulch. We plan to remove the mulch as soon as it stops raining, which by the way, has made more of these things pop up. The good news is these don't seem to have a bad odor so far. It's disgusting but one article said that in Asia they slice these, fry them, and eat them. SHUT UP!

    Some of your comments have cracked me up!

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  15. So, are you going to fry them up for breakfast tomorrow? ;)

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  16. They are still born birds. You stumbled upon somethings lunch.

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  17. Of course I had to come and look with a title like that. Ick! I have to agree - they are/were the start of birds. Poor things. =(

    Jeanine

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  18. That was hilarious! They are yucky looking. I have seen them before somewhere. So not looking forward to buying mulch now!

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  19. You crack me up! I could just see you poking them with a stick, screaming and running! Great post!

    That is gross that they come in the mulch! I'd be taking that mulch back and asking for a refund! (Alien infested mulch)! Gross!

    Theresa
    aka:TOT

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  20. OMG!! This is worse than the giant black grasshoppers that took over my yard two summers ago....this is WAY WORSE!! I do have the creeps now...I am itching!!

    Is there a environmental group or someone in your area that could look at them? I KNOW!! Take them to Auburn and let them check it out! Maybe the horticulture department?

    I REALLY want to know what this is!

    I had to laugh at the visual I got of ya'll screaming, dropping the stick and running! LOL

    Lou Cinda

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  21. SHUT UP!! They EAT them!! That ain't right! That just is NOT right!!! I just read the comments! I am still grossed out!!!

    EAT them!!! Dear Heaven!

    Lou Cinda

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  22. Glad you got the answer. Bad that they came with the mulch. I'd sure let them know about it. I can't believe across the world people eat these. Oh yuck. Thats just gross.

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  23. Those are mushrooms. We have them often in the Midwest.

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  24. That is NASTY!!! Hope you were able top get rid of them!!

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  25. We had some gross looking yellow spores come up in our new mulch too. At least ours didn't have legs!!
    xo,
    Sherry

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  26. I'm not sure what they are...maybe something that grew in the mulch...all I can say is Yuck!

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