The future’s orange in woodlands as ‘ping pong bat’ mushrooms could threaten native species
Brightly coloured invader that may have arrived on breeze from Spain among new species thriving in UK, possibly because of climate change
3 May 2021 • 9:00pm
Favolaschia calocera, known as the ping pong bat fungus, was first discovered in the UK in 2012 and has been spreading north
Its charming shape and bright colour makes it unmissable on dead wood branches. But an orange mushroom named after a table tennis bat could pose a threat to native species, Kew experts have said.
Favolaschia calocera, known as the ping pong bat fungus and first discovered in the UK in Cornwall in 2012, could have arrived on wind blowing from Spain or on a wooden pallet passing through a British port.