myrmepropagandistFeb 9

It turns out that fungus growing termites sometimes cultivate Termitomyces titanicus. This is an excellent scientific name.

CORRECTION:
I assumed they had to work like ants. Wrong! (A fruiting body would only emerge from a dead ant colony not so with these termites) Something about macrotermitinaes nuptial flights stimulates mushroom fruiting. (!) They get covered in pink spores.

And you can eat it!

Hence the species name.

Show threadMichael GemarFeb 9
@futurebird The mushroom is cool, but also kinda sad.
Show threadKevin RussellFeb 9

@michaelgemar @futurebird

Why sad?

Show threadmyrmepropagandistFeb 9

@kevinrns @michaelgemar

termite empire is fallen :(

Show threaddstu
@futurebird @kevinrns @michaelgemar giant mushrooms over human cities also herald the fall of our empires :-/
Feb 9 at 1:54amWeb
Show threadMichael GemarFeb 9
@trurl @futurebird @kevinrns Dark, but accurate.
Show threaddstuFeb 9

@futurebird @kevinrns @michaelgemar "The Invisibles"[1] has a bunch of sequences that really stuck with me back when I read it. These pages come to mind (fruiting fungal bodies over the remains of dead cities).

[1] which contains "product of its time" not-negative-but-not(?)-great representation of trans experiences, problematic language, and more. but which I don't want to throw away entirely. if you can, please recommend similar reading material which does a better job.