Where to find a slime mould

[Matt Jackson]

Hi everyone,
I'm trying to carry out a research project at school involving Physarum Polycephalum and have decided to go out and find my own. Having looked at several sources, the web says that they are retrievable from damp conditions in woodland areas e.g. damp wood, rotting vegetation. Can anyone tell me any other places where they could be hiding?
Thanks

[Matt Jackson]

That's great thanks Heather.

[Heather Barnett]

I've never had much luck foraging, but I know that Autumn time is supposed to be best for finding them in the woods. If you do find some and want it identifying, you can post pics here and there's a great Facebook group called Myxomiceti in the World, with lots of slime mould enthusiasts keen to help ID finds.

[Matt Jackson]

Hi Niels, 

Thanks very much for this. I had a feeling that might be true as I was in Devon over the weekend, keeping my eye out for them in the woods and there was no sign! I will try and order some live cultures then thanks.

[Niels K. Mortensen]

Hi Matt.

The right place to look would be on decaying logs of deciduous trees with loose bark. However the Northern European (incl. British Isles) climate is a bit to the cold side for it to be a common species. It is also a problem identifying it. There are many slime molds where the plasmodium looks similar, therfore you need mature sporangia and a microscope to make a sure ID.

Regards, Niels.