Webs that are beautifully designed with one geometric shape inside another, held together by long strands stretching from the center to a nearby tree branch, are called orb webs. As you would imagine, living next to a 3.5 square mile mycelium bed, we know a thing or two about mushrooms. We are located in Oregon, home of the largest living organism on Earth, Armillaria ostoyae, also known as the honey mushroom. Webs that are randomly designed with criss-crossing spider silk shapes are called tangle webs. Spore Printers is dedicated to providing top quality spore specimens to researchers and mushroom enthusiasts. Different spiders weave different kinds of webs. Although a single strand is not very hard to cut or break, a rope as thick as a garden hose made of pure spider silk can support as much weight as two full Boeing 737 airplanes!Ī spider produces this unique material in its silk glands, and then spins it into a thin silk thread with its spinnerets located on its posterior. What makes this substance so amazing is its strength. You probably noticed how flexible the web was when you were spray-painting it, as it vibrated back and forth slightly. To ensure that the lovely design stays in place, lay it flat in a clean, well-ventilated area and spray with another coat of fixative. Cut the outside strands supporting the web to remove your masterpiece and take it home.Ħ. Working quickly, so that the fixative spray does not dry, line up the cardstock and carefully push it against the web, making sure not to break any silk strands.ĥ. (If using art fixative, be sure to read and follow the instructions on the can carefully).Ĥ. Spray one even coat of hairspray or art fixative to both sides of the web so that it is sticky. After it is dry, spray on another coat and let it dry. Leave the paint to dry for an hour, or the time recommended on the spray can.ģ. Hold the newspaper up so that it is behind the web, then spray evenly and lightly on both sides of the spider web, using the newspaper as a backdrop so you don’t get paint over everything. Find a spider web outside that you like, and bring the other materials to where it is.Ģ. White or black poster board or cardstock that contrasts with your color of paintġ.The spores cannot get blown away, since the bowl is covering up the mushroom, so they simply stay where they dropped, making a lovely print. The spores that fell onto the page are a mushroom’s seeds that get carried by the wind to plant new mycelium. The part that we see is just a small part of the huge mycelium which it grows on. Mushrooms are part of an underground structure of fungi called a mycelium. Be sure to follow all the instructions on the can, and spray in a well-ventilated area. To make the design you see lasting, spray it with art fixative or hairspray. The pattern you see is a result of the mushroom’s spores falling away from the cap, and staying on the paper where they fell since there is no wind to blow them away.ĥ. In the morning, remove the bowl, and then very carefully lift the mushroom cap away from the paper. Leave the project overnight, being careful not to disturb the mushroom cap in any way.Ĥ. Place the bowl over the mushroom, so air currents will not disturb the spores.ģ. Gently turn the mushroom cap upside down onto the dark-colored paper. The bigger the better Young mushrooms are best as they are. Be careful with the knife so as not to damage the delicate structure of the mushroom.Ģ. The first thing youll need to do is find a mushroom Any flat gilled mushroom or bolete will work. Cut the stem of the mushroom off so it is even with the cap or top part. *Note: if you decide to use a Portobello mushroom (like the one shown in the picture), choose a white or light-colored piece of cardstock, as Portobellos have dark brown spores, unlike most mushrooms. Dark-colored construction paper or cardstock*.Fresh mushrooms from a grocery store or found in the wild (just be sure that it is a non-poisonous variety!).Spore prints are fragile, so try to avoid touching it.Adult supervision recommended. After you let the mushrooms sit for a while, carefully pick up the containers and the mushrooms to reveal the spore print.Leave the mushrooms covered anywhere from a couple hours to overnight based on how fresh the mushrooms are.Then place the container over the mushroom to create an airtight seal. Place the mushrooms with the gills or pores facing down onto the paper.Take the stems off the mushrooms using your hands or scissors.It is okay if you only have white paper, but some mushroom spores are white and therefore they won’t show up on white paper that well. Gather jars or containers big enough to place over the mushrooms.Remember to wash your hands after handling mushrooms! Mushrooms are decomposers which means that they break down dead materials such as fallen leaves and logs to make soil and nutrients that help other living things survive.
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