This mushroom belongs to a group known as stinkhorns.
Zack Snipes, ©2023, Clemson Extension
Stinkhorns are excellent decomposers and are a sign of a healthy soil ecosystem.
Zack Snipes, ©2023, Clemson Extension
If you knelt down and gave this mushroom a sniff, I can promise you would not take a bite out of it. This mushroom belongs to a group known as stinkhorns. They get their name from the terrible (to us humans) smell. They smell like rotten meat to attract flies. Flies then visit the rancid smell and get the sticky spores of the mushroom on their feet, which helps to disperse the spores to other areas. They are very common this time of year in undisturbed areas with lots of organic matter (straw beds, wood chips, etc.). Stinkhorns are excellent decomposers and are a sign of a healthy soil ecosystem. For more information, see Wisconsin Extension Stinkhorns.
