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Rare fungus spotted for first time in 50 years

Richard BakerIsle of Man
News imageManx Wildlife Trust Bright blue fungus Cobalt Crust growing on a piece of tree. The sighting was in Onchan, on the Isle of Man.Manx Wildlife Trust
Cobalt Crust, last spotted on the Isle of Man in 1976, has been sighted three times this year

A rare blue fungus has been spotted on the Isle of Man for the first time in more than half a century.

Terana caerulea, known as Cobalt Crust, which forms on the underside of dead wood and tree branches in warm, damp forests, was spotted in Onchan on the island's east coast.

The rare fungus, most commonly found in southern England and Wales, helps to break down natural matter, but is also used in medicine, to create an antibiotic which treats infections like strep throat and scarlet fever.

Liz Charter, founder of the Isle of Man Fungus Group, said the increase in sightings is thanks to more people looking for it and ideal weather conditions.

News imageGraham Makepeace-Warne Cobalt Crust on a piece of wood. Dark blue fungus which fades gradually lighter and white as the fungus grows on the wood.Graham Makepeace-Warne
Cobalt Crust has also been spotted in Andreas and Baldrine on the island

Charter said: "We need lots of different types of fungi as they're an important part in our environment.

"They play a massive role in the rotting down of dead flies or the horns of dead sheep as well as wood and plant materials."

She said there had now been three sightings of the rare Cobalt Crust this year.

"We're at the north end of its distributions on the British Isles and it's really not that common in Britain".

The fungus grows on natural matter and allows its nutrients to go back into the soil, forming part of "nature's recycling".

"I find them endlessly fascinating", she said.

News imageLiz Charter The "bright velvet blue" Cobalt Crust under a microscope. A deep navy shape is seen under the microscope against a white backdrop.Liz Charter
The "bright velvet blue" Cobalt Crust under a microscope

Despite the fungus first being recorded in the 16th Century by French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, little is known about how Cobalt Crust, first spotted on the island near Lezayre in 1976, is transported.

Charter said: "It's very difficult to know how fungi has come to the island, perhaps on peoples feet or in the airstream - it's one of those mysteries".

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