One calm morning, I stepped into the yard, expecting my usual quiet routine. But a sudden, overpowering stench stopped me in my tracks. Scanning the flowerbed, I spotted a strange, red, slimy object writhing slightly in the grass. Its finger-like appendages and putrid smell made my stomach turn.
Curious, I snapped a photo and searched online. To my shock, it wasn’t an animal at all—it was Anthurus archeri, the Devil’s Fingers mushroom. Native to Australia and Tasmania, it spreads by attracting flies with its rotting scent, which carry its spores elsewhere.
Grotesque yet fascinating, this bizarre fungus was a vivid reminder that nature can be both terrifying and extraordinary—even in our own backyards. Since then, I’ve avoided that corner, respecting the strange wonder that appeared overnight.
