Slime molds (Myxomycetes) are incredibly weird and wonderful organisms that hover in the grey area between animals and plants. They grow as a naked network of protoplasm, travel and hunt bacteria like protozoa, but then split apart into fruiting bodies that produce spores like fungi, a seemingly miraculous transformation that can occur in only a few hours (see left).

Slime molds are found all over the world in moist places, usually on organic matter such as rotting logs, leaf litter or bark. The fruiting bodies are often extremely tiny, but because they usually fruit en masse and are frequently brightly colored, they are not hard to find, particularly when the weather has been damp. Their common names give clues as to what to look for: Scrambled-egg Slime; Pretzel Slime; Japanese-lantern Slime; Dog-vomit Slime, Wolf's-milk Slime, and Insect-egg Slime (shown).

To find out more about these exciting "creatures," search for either "slime molds" or "myxomycetes" on the Internet and you'll find tons of information and pictures.