A RARE type of fungus was found by a woman in Bangor, who spotted the organism creeping up from the ground.
Lisa Toth, a ‘Garden Escapers’ project officer with North Wales Wildlife Trust, found the rare specimen in Bangor.
It is known as the Devil’s Finger fungus, or octopus stinkhorn, and is scarcely found in the UK.
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The species is from the southern hemisphere and was first discovered in Britain in 1914.
The devil’s fingers fungus hatches from a slimy, gelatinous ‘egg’, and as it grows, the tentacle-like arms start to protrude.
A North Wales Wildlife Trust spokesperson said: “This spooky marvel is known as the devil’s fingers fungus, or octopus stinkhorn, and is a relatively rare find in the UK.
“Its foul stench is likened to rotting flesh which attracts insects and helps the fungus spread its spores.”
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