Clathrus ruber mushroom

Clathrus ruber mushroom, of the Stinkhorn Mushroom family. A.K.A. (also know as) basket stinkhorn, red cage mushroom, latticed stinkhorn.
I DID NOT TOUCH it.... It STINKS, it was covered in gnats and ants. soft and squishy about 3 to 4 inches long.
NOTE: the stink draws the bugs, the bugs swarm it and travel afar spreading the spores. OH NO! I don't want a yard full...



I bent over to pick up the tiny avocado, to keep it from being scarfed down by Big Boy, and said out LOUD.. What is this?

I thought someone had thrown a toy or a piece of fruit in the yard, then  I realized it was GROWING I went to get the tiny shovel and dug it up.... When Bob wanted to know what I was doing, I showed him the ugly but beautiful basket shaped mushroom. Neither of us have ever seen one.

Do a search for Clathrus ruber mushroom and you get THESE PHOTOS not mine. Wikipedia is HERE

I made the good choice of not touching it and dumped it in the poop bag that hangs on the fence and said to Leonard Lizard, I hope the bugs on this thing don't kill you.... It was covered in ants and gnats. They love bugs... research found it is poisonous, my apologies to the Lizards that dine on the Poop Bag Buffet.  (in case you are wondering, yes we do have indoor plumbing, the bag is to pick up dog poop so we don't smell like a stinkhorn when we step in it) my niece pays big bucks for a service to come each week and pick hers up. Just so you know.

I used my cell phone to take the pic, my hand was trembling and i could not see the screen. OOPS! but I like it.

Joining LLB in my Backyard for Nature Friday