Taeniolella spp.

Taeoniolella spp. - N. Carlson - click to enlarge

The wood decay fungi, Taeniolella spp., is an anomorphic (asexual fungi) in the family Mytilinidiaceae. The organisms is often found indoors on water damaged or moist lumber and outdoors on leaves and wood.  The organism does not grow well on typical culture media.  This organism was identified from a tape lift of lumber above a crawlspace.

Taeoniolella spp. in sequence - N. Carlson

The organism can be visually similar to Alternaria spp.  The Alternaria spp. spores are often in chains but are more club shaped with rounded edges at the end opposite the point of attachment.

Alternaria spp. N. Carlson

Foldscope images of potato and wheat starch

Our local Ax-Man surplus store had a box of 36 prepared microscope slides.  There were three starch particles.  Two were easy to photograph.  The foldscope was attached to a Samsung Galaxy 5 phone.  Overhead fluorescent light provided the back lighting.

Wheat starch - foldscope photo - N. Carlson

Photoshop enhance image of wheat starch - N. Carlson

Potato starch - foldscope photo - N. Carlson

Photoshop enhanced image of potato starch - N. Carlson

WCCO news report on dust

Wheat starch particles- photo taken with Foldscope microscope.

Heather Brown from WCCO TV interviewed me for a the Good Question segment on the topic of dust.

Pachnocybe information

Pachnocybe photo micrograph - N. Carlson - click to enlarge

 I recently came across this basidiomycete fungi while in a crawlspace under a house.  The organism was growing on the surface of the wood rim joist.  The organism is much longer than the 250 micron guide on the photo.  Fortunately the organism folded over on the tape lift allowing the whole structure to be photographed. The tape lifts were stained with lacto-fuchsin mixed with 85% lactic acid.

The organism is a commonly found on pine wood in utility poles and pine floor boards.  I used the Identification Manual for Fungi from Utility Poles in the Eastern United States/Atcc-Wang to identify the organism. 

Pachnocybe photo micrograph - N. Carlson - click to enlarge

Pachnocybe photo micrograph - N. Carlson - click to enlarge