Mushrooms make spores on the surface of their gills under their cap.
"The spores themselves condense water from moist air and they use those tiny droplets they condense to get energy that throws spores out into the air," Hodge said. "That little burst of energy makes the difference on whether spores go to new places, or whether they fall to the ground. And therefore, when it's really wet for a long time, fungi can sense that and know it’s a good time to send spores out, and so they make mushrooms."
Many of the mushrooms we are seeing now are symbiotic with trees, Hodge said. Their mycelium connects to tree roots and brings nutrients to the trees.