A patch of green and splashes of red and white.

Taken with my Canon 5DsR and Sigma Art 24–70 in Surea, between Gilze and Oosterhout — a gray day, yet the forest was alive with colour and quiet stories. On a bed of moss and fallen leaves stood a single Amanita muscaria — the fly agaric — but not as we usually know it. Its brilliant red cap was covered in a delicate white layer that resembled a dusting of snow. Only later did I realize: this wasn’t weather, but another fungus growing upon it. A fungus infecting a fungus — a rare and fascinating encounter.

In mycology, such infections occur when parasitic species like Hypomyces invade the fruiting body of another mushroom, spreading their hyphae through its tissues. They slowly consume the host’s nutrients, altering its colour, texture, and even shape. This quiet struggle plays out unseen, yet it’s part of the forest’s endless cycle of decay and renewal — nothing in nature is truly wasted.

I crouched low in the moss to capture it, trying to show not just a mushroom, but a story of resilience, interdependence, and the hidden wars of the microscopic world.

#AmanitaMuscaria #MacroPhotography #NaturePhotography #FungalInfection #FungiOnFungi #Canon5DsR #SigmaArt2470 #Surea #BrabantNature #NatureReserve #ForestFloor #MossLovers #Mycology #WildNetherlands #Ecology #MicroEcosystem #DutchNature #AutumnForest #ForestMagic #Biodiversity #MacroWorld #PhotographyAndScience #CloseUpNature #NaturalWonder #InterspeciesConnection #RareFind #FungalDiversity #InTheField #NatureStories #Mycophile #HiddenWorlds #MushroomLovers #FlyAgaric #ForestResearch #NatureEducation #StoryInLight #MacroLife #ForestDetails #EcoBalance #ByMaikelPhotography
Barbara Hocke on Instagram: "Find your ecological niche. 👍🏻 Start and continue your sustainable journey with issues you are most passionate about. That makes changes easier. Discover more clarity and fulfillment with the new course Eco Balance. You'll find the link in the Bio. #ecobalance #sustainableaction #pollinator #clarity #ecologicalniche #agency"

5 likes, 0 comments - hockebarbara on August 24, 2025: "Find your ecological niche. 👍🏻 Start and continue your sustainable journey with issues you are most passionate about. That makes changes easier. Discover more clarity and fulfillment with the new course Eco Balance. You'll find the link in the Bio. #ecobalance #sustainableaction #pollinator #clarity #ecologicalniche #agency".

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Barbara Hocke on Instagram: "#waitinglist The waiting list for the course Eco Balance is now open. You'll find the link in the Bio. Many people I know in the real world or online, hello you!, are really switched on in all things sustainability. Bravo! But if you please could spread the word with your friends who might need more clarity and empowerment in their environmental journey? That would be absolutely lovely. Thank you very much. #ecobalance #ecofriendly #empowerment #agency #sustainability #sustainableaction #bunchofflowers #flowerarrangement #flowerpower"

8 likes, 4 comments - hockebarbara on August 21, 2025: "#waitinglist The waiting list for the course Eco Balance is now open. You'll find the link in the Bio. Many people I know in the real world or online, hello you!, are really switched on in all things sustainability. Bravo! But if you please could spread the word with your friends who might need more clarity and empowerment in their environmental journey? That would be absolutely lovely. Thank you very much. #ecobalance #ecofriendly #empowerment #agency #sustainability #sustainableaction #bunchofflowers #flowerarrangement #flowerpower".

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Modeling ethical wildlife stewardship for The Highest Good of All. We promote habitat development, biodiversity, and sustainable practices that respect indigenous wildlife while supporting global needs through open-source collaboration.

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Ethical & Conscientious Wildlife Management and Habitat Development

Conscientious Wildlife Stewardship and Habitat Development: One Community feels that modeling ethical, humane, and proactive wildlife stewardship is essential and for The Highest Good of All in today’s world of diverse needs. We anticipate many cultures and communities globally and for the predictable future will continue to choose harvesting wildlife for food and/or their other byproducts. Our team, which consists of vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores, will be working to demonstrate Highest Good methods of engaging indigenous wildlife stewardship in a manner that increases habitat, strengthens biodiversity and wildlife populations, and improves the health of these populations. We approach this process with respect, gratitude, and love for these creatures and will be expanding this page with our open source collaborative efforts and experience once on the property.

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The Impessing Moss of Luxembourg’s Forests

In the heart of Luxembourg's verdant woodlands, a miniature world thrives underfoot, often unnoticed yet vital to the forest's health and beauty. This is the realm of moss, a humble plant that plays a colossal role in maintaining biodiversity and the well-being of the forests. Mosses are not merely decorations; they are guardians of the [...]

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Feel good story of the night: inmates training over populated wild #Horses into riding horses. #EcoBalance #Rehabilitation #ReduceRecidivism #WyomingHonorFarm