# Honeydew Eater

*Scorias spongiosa*

It is the only known fungus in North America that grows into such massive, spongy structures purely by feeding on insect honeydew.

- **Taxonomy:** Fungi › Ascomycota › Dothideomycetes › Capnodiales › Capnodiaceae › Scorias
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Deciduous forests, specifically on the trunks and branches of American beech trees.
- **Diet:** Honeydew excreted by beech blight aphids.
- **Range:** Eastern North America
- **Size:** Spongy masses up to 15-30 cm (6-12 inches) in diameter.
- **Lifespan:** 1 year (annual growth cycle)
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Deforestation, loss of American beech trees due to Beech Bark Disease (caused by Neonectria fungi and scale insects).
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless. This fungus is safe to touch and observe, though it may leave a soot-like residue on skin. Do not ingest. No special precautions are needed other than respecting the forest habitat.

## About

Scorias spongiosa is a sooty mould fungus that grows on aphid honeydew. It is a member of the Capnodiaceae family of ascomycete fungi. It is found only on American beech trees, Fagus grandifolia .

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/b01fd1a7-6bda-4780-85c3-169ec2a3c869
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/144013
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorias spongiosa
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/158659/medium.JPG (Summit Metro Parks, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.