Dog sick fungi

[tootiredtospeak]

We have a large garden and it looks like at some point my dog must have been a but sick...she eats grass and does this sometimes. We haven't realised this due to the time of year we arent going on the grass and now fungus has grown on it. We have dug it up but new patches keep appearing and I am worried as my neighbours who own the land behind have horses. What can we do to get rid of this for good.

I could be completely wide of the mark....but, there's a type of slime mould called Fuligo septica also known as scrambled egg or dog vomit fungus. I don't know too much about it but the RHS website would probably have info.

The 2nd photo could be an older colony of the first (slime moulds have fascinating life cycles). Or it reminds me a little of a lichen that grew on a neighbours lawn. That was caused by waterlogged and compacted soil. It doesn't look as 'leafy' as that was though.

While dog sick could go mouldy, I don't think that mould would then go on to colonise your grass, the habitats would be very different.

That could be dog vomit fungus rather than dog vomit, if so, the black could be the spore mass. There’s no concern when it’s found on sheep/cattle pastures, but horses are a different ball park.

try an experiment - put a stick in the ground next to it, and watch carefully over the next few days to see if it moves (actually moves rather than grows).