Stinkhorns

fungi · gross smell · clever tricks · tropical

Start as eggs. All stinkhorns begin life as round or oval underground structures that look like little eggs. Then, incredibly fast, the fruiting body can burst out and fully open in just one hour.

Stink to spread spores. Stinkhorns smell like dead animals or poop, which sounds gross but it is actually genius. Flies, beetles, and other insects are drawn to that smell and land on the sticky spore mass, then carry the spores away to new places.

Tropical superstars. Stinkhorns live all around the world, but they especially love hot, tropical places where it is warm and humid. There are about 77 different species in the family.

Unique fungal structure. Stinkhorns have a special body plan that sets them apart: a single unbranched stalk with the sticky, stinky spore mass sitting on top like a hat. This design helps insects reach the spores easily.