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jimkw

Artillery Fungus

jimkw
16 years ago

We got it bad!! I can not find any help on getting rid of this. I have removed all my hardwood mulch and put down new pine bark mulch, and I am still getting the little tar like looking spots INSIDE MY GARAGE. I have talked to the County Agent and a so-called expert from Penn State and they say I know more about it than they do. I have white trim on my house and I own a white car. The county agent here in Delaware County Ohio said all he can suggest is that I Pray to get rid of it. So far that's not worked either.

My wife did find that the spots can be removed using Hydrigine Peroxide, but we can not find the source of the spots no matter how hard we look. There is nothing moist and rotten inside my garage, and we never open the windows since this has started. My next thing to do is sand and refinish the oak trim around the windows because that appears to be a possible source based on where we see the spots.

Comments (10)

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    16 years ago

    I doubt that it is coming from the oak trim. You'd see the fungal bodies, if that were the case. Are you CERTAIN that it is artillery fungus causing the problem? The reason I ask is that I've never, ever known anything that would remove the spots, certainly not anything as simple as H2O2.

    Very curious....and I sure don't envy you.

  • jimkw
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    It sure looks like Artiller Fungus and I don't know what else it could be, and I've looked at quite a few pictures of it on the internet. Since removing the mulch, we are not getting it on the outside of the house. I get it on my window frames and window sill and on my light colored cars if I park near the windows inside the garage. The H2O2 removes it if you get it right away and it's on a very smooth shiny surface. It's very hard to remove if you let it sit for weeks.

    I get it off my cars with just window spray. Again you have to get it quickly though. I washed the yellow car the other day and didn't realize it had some spots too. I had to rub like crazy with Bug and Tar remover to get the spots off. It's driving us crazy.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    16 years ago

    Good grief! Some of those artillery fruiting bodies are so small and insignificant that they can be VERY difficult to locate. I sure do wish you luck.

  • jimkw
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Tempature must be just right the last couple days, cause we got a hole bunch of black spots IN the garage. The hydrogine peroxide is kind of strange because it works fantastic at removing the spots on the vinyl window frames, the oak window sills and the glass windows. But it won't touch the spots on my car. I have to use a cleaner/wax to get them off the car if they have been there a while. I went all the way to the top of the windows where we have probably never removed spots before and the hydrogine peroxide pretty much disolved the tar-like spots and they wiped right off. I removed the blinds and left them off the windows. If I get the spots back, I will sand the oak window frames and sills and then polyurethane everything. If that doesn't get rid of this, I'm selling the friggin house!

  • jimkw
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Still getting spots like crazy after sanding and refinishing the woodwork. I have taken samples of the spots and sent them to Dr. Davis at Penn State University. He does not think what I have is Artillery Fungus, but not sure what it is. I know when the tempature went into the 90's we quit getting spots. In the 70's we got them quite a bit. Actually found spots inside of the car that has a light tan interior, it was in the garage and the garage windows were closed. The driver's side car window was open.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    16 years ago

    Quite a mystery! So many things don't add up to an artillery fungus, though. Is your garage completely finished inside?

    Again, these small fungal bodies can be easily seen...they aren't invisible. You would clearly see something growing on (in) your window frames if the mushrooms were there. Do you have any old lumber in your garage, like an old workbench or potting table?

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1057238}}

  • jimkw
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    The inside of the garage is completely dry walled and we got rid of all old lumber and potting soil. I read that the mushrooms that shoot the spots are yellowish and are about 1/10 of an inch in size. I would see them, but I don't and neither does my wife. So it's probably not an eyesight problem. We are so afraid we are going to get whatever this is in the house. Oh yeah and the house is less than five years old.

  • jimkw
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Following is a not I got from Dr. Donald Davis from Penn State University:

    It is still puzzling. The black spots do not look typical of artillery fungi, but I put them on special growth media the same day they arrived - if they are the artillery fungus, they will grow out onto the media and produce more spores. This will take 3-4 weeks -- can't hurry nature. Also, sent your images to our entomologist for a second opinion. My first inclination is that this is NOT the artillery fungus.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    16 years ago

    Could it be something as simple as fly specks?

  • jimkw
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    That's what we thought it was before reading about Artillery Fungus. It definitely is attracted to lighter colors and the amount is way more than what would come from flies.

    If you look at the bottom of the windows that are white vinyl on red brick the little white part that sticks out about an inch is covered with spots and there is very little on the bricks right below the white lip. I don't think flies would have that good of aim.