Bombs in my lawn?

[HeyWayne]

Just thinking about something else, and remembered this - isn't that always the way?

This has happened a few times, but I always forget to mention it/ask about it.

When mowing my lawn occasionally I get a little puff of what looks like smoke when I mow over certain areas. It's almost like a tiny bomb has gone off on the lawn.

It's not dirt - it's too fine for that. I thought it was some kind of mushroom or something but that wouldn't "explode" like this does surely.

It's really weird, but kind of cool at the same time.

Any ideas? Or are the ants playing ant warfare again?

[Sprocket*]

Could it be little puff ball fungus, or are you running over fairy houses with the mower?

[HeyWayne]

Could it be little puff ball fungus, or are you running over fairy houses with the mower?

Not sure - they could be I guess as they do "puff" a kind of brown, dusty kind of smoke when I mow them.

[Snadger]

Could be dried up worm casts?

[pdblake]

Could be dried up worm casts?

I'd settle for dry anything at the moment

[HeyWayne]

I'd settle for dry anything at the moment

There is that.

No Snadger sorry, I'd know them. Plus, I never cut my lawn that close.

[terrier]

Have a look in your lawn before you cut the grass, you'll probably see small balls about the size of marbles growing a bit like these:

pigskin poison puffball, common earth ball or Scleroderma citrinum

There's lots of different types and difficult to tell the difference between them.

[HeyWayne]

Have a look in your lawn before you cut the grass, you'll probably see small balls about the size of marbles growing a bit like these:

pigskin poison puffball, common earth ball or Scleroderma citrinum

There's lots of different types and difficult to tell the difference between them.

Looks like a possibility - the only thing is that I kind of hope I'd see little light coloured balls on my lawn, but then again, if the lawn's fairly long...

[lizzylemon]

Sounds like puff balls to me - used to use them as footties when I was a sprog!

[Headfry]

Could be the Common Earthball. Like the Puff Ball but smaller and more brown in colour- also, they tend to be more hidden in the soil than puff balls - we have loads in our grass. they are quite had when young. I get these clouds of 'smoke' when I cut the grass. Now is the start of their season. Could possibly be Earth Stars but these stand more proud of the soil.

[HeyWayne]

Whatever they are I'm sure I've found more of them in the flower bed once I'd cleared the foxgloves and big daisies.

They are sat on the soil and a kind of light orangey brown colour at this stage. I'll see if at some stage I can get a picturegraph.