Did This Mystery Blob Fall from the Sky?-Latrobe, PA
Dog Vomit Fungus
photo used with permission of the witness
On the morning of August 20, 2013, several people had arrived early at their work location outside of Latrobe when they noticed an odd substance among the shrubs outside. The group had never noticed anything odd in that area before, and none of them had ever seen such a mysterious blob. The odd matter was over a foot long and not as wide, but seemed to be bright as it lay in the mulch.
I was notified about the odd substance and a picture of it was forwarded to me. I immediately recognized the odd matter as I had been called about a similar occurrence in previous years. I also made contact with the Penn State Extension Office in Greensburg. A staff member confirmed my explanation.
The odd blob is actually called, “Dog Vomit Fungus.” It’s a slime mold commonly found on wood chips and mulch and it eats organic material. It can appear overnight and while not harmful, it does not have an appealing look. There is probably a lot of this showing up locally in Westmoreland County due to the large amount of moisture and humidity.