Scudder's Short-winged Grasshopper (Melanoplus scudderi), or a closely related species in the scudderi species group, perched on the seed head of a Blazing Star (also known as Gayfeather, genus Liatris) on Sand Branch Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, November 28, 2025
 | Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery County, Texas, United States |
Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) on a fallen oak on Sand Branch Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, November 28, 2025
Bracket polypore mushrooms Ganoderma sessile on a stump both in natural light and under 365 nm ultraviolet (UV-A) blacklight in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, November 29, 2025
| Racoon Run Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States |
Bracket polypore mushrooms Ganoderma sessile on a stump when exposed to regular daylight as well as when illuminated by a 365 nm ultraviolet (UV-A) blacklight in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, November 29, 2025
| Racoon Run Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States |
Polypore mushrooms Ganoderma sessile on a stump both in natural light and under 365 nm ultraviolet (UV-A) blacklight in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, November 29, 2025
| Racoon Run Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States |
Young oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) on a fallen oak in ultraviolet light in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, November 29, 2025
| Racoon Run Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States |
Underside of young oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) on a fallen oak in ultraviolet light in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, November 29, 2025
| Racoon Run Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States |
Side view of young oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) on a fallen oak both in natural light and under 365 nm ultraviolet (UV-A) blacklight in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, November 29, 2025
| Racoon Run Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States |
Side view of young oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) on a fallen oak in ultraviolet light in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, November 29, 2025
| Racoon Run Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States |
Caps of oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) on a fallen oak both in natural light and under 365 nm ultraviolet (UV-A) blacklight in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, November 29, 2025
| Racoon Run Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States |
Saucer-shaped mushrooms Acanthophysium oakesii (Aleurodiscus oakesii) on a fallen but still living elm on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, November 30, 2025
| Lone Star Hiking Trail, Walker County, Texas, United States |
Close-up of corticioid mushrooms Acanthophysium oakesii (Aleurodiscus oakesii) on a fallen but still living elm on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, November 30, 2025
| Lone Star Hiking Trail, Walker County, Texas, United States |
Aquatic fern Giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta) in shallow water of Lake Conroe on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, November 30, 2025
| Lone Star Hiking Trail, Walker County, Texas, United States |
Carpet of aquatic fern Giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta) in shallow water of Lake Conroe on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, November 30, 2025
| Lone Star Hiking Trail, Walker County, Texas, United States |
An immature female Southern Black Widow (Latrodectus mactans) or Northern Black Widow (Latrodectus variolus) under a fallen oak, sweetgum or elm on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. The "web" in the background is the woolly mycelium or tomentum characteristic of fungus Hohenbuehelia mastrucata. Texas, November 30, 2025
Tiny young cap of woolly oyster mushroom (Hohenbuehelia mastrucata) under a fallen oak, sweetgum or elm on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, November 30, 2025
Mature caps of woolly oyster mushroom (Hohenbuehelia mastrucata) infected by some fungus under a fallen oak, sweetgum or elm on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, November 30, 2025
White fluffy mycelium of woolly oyster mushroom (Hohenbuehelia mastrucata) under a fallen oak, sweetgum or elm on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, November 30, 2025
Close-up of a cap of woolly oyster mushroom (Hohenbuehelia mastrucata) under a fallen oak, sweetgum or elm on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, November 30, 2025
Cluster of small caps of woolly oyster mushroom (Hohenbuehelia mastrucata) under a fallen oak, sweetgum or elm on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, November 30, 2025
Decomposing caps of woolly oyster mushroom (Hohenbuehelia mastrucata) under a fallen oak, sweetgum or elm on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, November 30, 2025
Young caps of woolly oyster mushroom (Hohenbuehelia mastrucata) under a fallen oak, sweetgum or elm on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, November 30, 2025
Spores of corticioid fungus Giraffe Spots (Peniophora albobadia), collected from a twig November 18 in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, December 1, 2025
Spores of corticioid mushrooms Acanthophysium oakesii (Aleurodiscus oakesii) from a fallen elm, collected in Sam Houston National Forest a day before. Texas, December 1, 2025
Spores of woolly oyster mushroom (Hohenbuehelia mastrucata) from a fallen tree, collected in Sam Houston National Forest a day before. Texas, December 1, 2025
Yellow resupinate fungus Xylodon flaviporus (Schizopora flavipora) on a log in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, December 3, 2025
| Yaupon Loop Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States |
Texture of yellow resupinate fungus Xylodon flaviporus (Schizopora flavipora) on a log in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, December 3, 2025
| Yaupon Loop Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States |
Close-up of yellow resupinate fungus Xylodon flaviporus (Schizopora flavipora) on a log in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, December 3, 2025
| Yaupon Loop Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States |
Yellow resupinate fungus Xylodon flaviporus (Schizopora flavipora) with tiny water drops on a log in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, December 3, 2025
| Yaupon Loop Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States |
Two oaks that biologically fused together, allowing them to share resources like water and nutrients through a shared vascular system. This phenomenon is known as inosculation, or more commonly as natural grafting. Trees that have merged in this way are sometimes called "gemel trees" (from the Latin for "twin"), "marriage trees," or "husband and wife trees". Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, December 5, 2025
| Racoon Run Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States |
Chestnut brittlestem mushrooms (Homophron spadiceum) on Racoon Run Trail in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, December 5, 2025
| Racoon Run Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States |
