Fungus swarm

Yes, far more numerous than a 'troop', the term often used to describe a group of fungus fruiting bodies. This is a 'swarm' of Fairy Inkcap, Coprinellus disseminatus, growing around the trunk of a dying willow at the nature reserve. Whilst our normal view of toadstools can impress us in terms of wonderful individual forms and colours, it seldom gives any impression of the sheer mass of fungus mycelium that is invisably pervading just about any patch of the countryside we might be looking at. Not so with this species of inkcap - it can appear in really spectacular dense masses in suitable conditions.