Honey Fungus

Armillaria mellea

Honey fungus produces black fungal threads called hyphae that travel through dead trees and soil to infect other nearby trees. This fungus is known as the 'Forester's Curse' because it can cause serious damage to living trees. Clusters of honey-coloured mushrooms (the fruiting bodies) may be found at the base of diseased trees. The fungus attacks and kills the tree's roots, then grows upward to encircle the cambium layer, the living tissue under the bark.