No, that’s not a dead hand in the woods - and other creepy things you might find outside in Minnesota

A buried hand emerging from the forest floor

You can almost imagine a partly buried zombie when coming across the fungi aptly named dead man’s fingers. The finger-like fruits can range from deathly pale to decomposing dark gray as they appear to reach out of the soil. The thin finger shape begins to bloat or look more club-shaped as it matures. Dead man’s fingers can be spotted spring through fall in Minnesota at the base of decaying deciduous trees, such as maple, oak, elm and apple.

Witch’s butter is not a culinary delight

The name of this Minion-colored jelly fungus conjures images of pointy-hatted crones around a bubbling cauldron, and these squishy, ruffly blobs look ready-made for Halloween with their “ew” factor and alternative name of “yellow brain.” Look for witch’s butter, one of several variations of jelly fungi, on fallen deciduous branches and dead logs during moist spring, fall and warm winter spells. Other varieties may be brown, white or orange. Though they are edible, they are considered bland and not a prize for foragers.

Did your dog vomit or was that you?

You can’t always blame the dog for eating a sock or the kids’ toys if you find what looks like upchuck in the yard or woods. Dog vomit slime mold looks like its name (minus socks or figurine parts). Some people call it scrambled egg slime, but that does a disservice to breakfast lovers. The slime mold can grow on leaves, plants, rotten wood and debris.

Lisa Meyers McClintick of St. Cloud has freelanced for the Minnesota Star Tribune since 2001 and volunteers as a Minnesota Master Naturalist. You can reach her @minnelisa on Instagram or lmcclintick@charter.net.