Glow-in-the-Dark Fungi

[Gruntacious]

I just returned from a 4 day camping trip in Red River Gorge in central KY. The first night we were hanging out on the "beach" next to the stream we camped next to. There was a large tree that had been washed down stream and had been sitting there for some time. We turned out our headlamps and my buddy noticed a small glowing spot (about the size of a dime) on the log.
We walked up to investigate and found, just under the surface, what appeared to be especially white wood. There wasn't any noticable hairs or special texture to it. However, when we turned out our lights it glowed pale green just like a glow-stick. We have never come accross anything like it.

Any ideas as to what it was? I'm going to see if I can't find something online.

[Frolicking Dino]

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/10/photogalleries/glowing-fungi/photo2.html

[oops56]

Yep i use to see that all time when i was kid. In the swamp old tree stumps that are rotten and brown its called fortress [ if i spelled it right ]

[Frolicking Dino]

Better article on this particular type of fungi: http://inamidst.com/lights/foxfire

[Bulldawg]

That is exactly what the foxfire book series out of Rabun County is named after.

http://www.foxfire.org/

[Frolicking Dino]

The FoxFire books! I love those.

[Gruntacious]

Fox Fire huh. That's some pretty neat stuff. My buddy thought for sure he had discovered something new and would soon be a millionaire. Heh.

[jerseyhick]

.... and some mushrooms will make everything glow.

[Kanga]

it's just phosphorescence caused by a fungus that grows on wet, rotting logs. very common down here.

[Frolicking Dino]

.... and some mushrooms will make everything glow.::: Dino seen in cow pasture reminiscing :::

[MalTheElder]

::: Dino seen in cow pasture reminiscing :::

So that explains it!

Best,
Mal