Foxfire

Have you ever seen foxfire glowing at night? It's an almost magical sight, but it's really a fungus that grows on rotting wood. Records show that sometimes the light has been bright enough to read by, but usually it's much fainter than that. The color of the glow can vary depending on the species of fungi. Some give off a green or blue light, and others have a reddish glow. All I've seen has been red or reddish orange.

We know that it's an ancient plant, because Aristotle wrote of it in 382 B.C., and Pliny the Elder mentioned it growing in olive groves. Much later, it was used to light the barometer on The Turtle, an early American submarine.

Foxfire grows and shines best at around 70 degrees in moist conditions. Forests are more likely to provide the deteriorating wood and have ideal conditions. Too hot or too cold deters the light, as does too wet or too dry. Glowing foxfire can be a pretty sight, but most people never get to see it.

______________________________________