Spooky Species: Moths, Fungi, and Flowers

To celebrate the beginning of autumn, let’s delve into some weird and wonderful species that have spooked many for centuries.

Death’s-head hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos) on a leaf. Photo by Mark Chen from Pixabay.

Spooky season is here! The 23rd of September marked the beginning of the autumn equinox, and with this astronomical event has come a new season for plants, migration, and breeding. One insect, spotted in the autumn months (If you’re lucky!), is the Death’s-head hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos). This moth’s name alone is suitably eerie, named ‘Death’s-head’ due to the skull-like marking on the back of its head. Characterised by this macabre pattern, the Death’s-head hawkmoth also boasts a large wingspan of 120 millimetres, making it the largest moth found in the UK. Due to its appearance, this moth has been a significantly spooky symbol for centuries, featuring in the works of Edgar Allen Poe, Jonathan Demme’s 1991 horror film Silence of the Lambs, and, according to Dutch and South African legend, was believed to possess a sting that could cause instant death. 

Death cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides). Photo by Florian Hölzl from Pixabay.

Though unassuming from the outside, the ‘death cap mushroom’ is one of the world’s most poisonous mushrooms. As little as half a death cap holds enough poison to kill an adult human, and they are responsible for 90% of the world’s mushroom-related fatalities. Unlike the instantly recognisable poisonous ‘fly agaric’ mushroom, the death cap’s varying appearance means it can be easily mistaken for various other non-fatal mushrooms, such as ‘Caesar’s mushroom’ (Amanita caesarea). Though scary in name and toxicity, death cap mushrooms are beneficial to the environment due to being a mycorrhizal fungi, meaning they form vital, symbiotic relationships with other plants and trees.

Corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum). Photo by gkgegk from Pixabay.

Striking in name and appearance, the titan arum, or as it is more commonly known, the corpse flower, is one of the world’s largest flowering plants. Its disturbing name is due to the scent released when in bloom, described as resembling rotting flesh. Contributing to its pungent smell, the flowers’ spadix (the pointed stalk shape that erupts from the centre) can heat up to 37 degrees, releasing a necessary aroma that, though repulsive to humans, attracts pollinating flies, beetles, and allows for berries to grow. Endemic to Sumatra, the corpse flower is one of the rarest cultivated plants and an endangered species due to land degradation, deforestation, and oil palm plantations. This flower might not be the prettiest of the bunch, but it plays an important environmental role nonetheless!

Octopus stinkhorn (Clathrus archeri). Photo by Evamarietje from Pixabay.

Remind you of anything? If you’ve watched Stranger Things, this species of fungus might remind you of the demogorgon. Alternatively named ‘devil’s fingers’, this non-toxic fungus can grow up to eight ‘fingers’ or ‘fungal arms’. When conditions are favourable, the ‘arms’ begin to splay out from a pinkish-coloured ‘egg’ covered in a black slime that smells, like the corpse flower, reminiscent of rotten meat. This smell also performs a function - to attract slugs and insects who then step in the goo and disperse its spores. The octopus stinkhorn was first found in the New Forest in 2000, and has since spread widely across the forest as well as some areas across the South of England, mainly in areas used by the military. This fungus’ uncanny resemblance to gooey octopus tentacles makes this species one of the spookiest, both in appearance and odour! 

Doll’s eyes plant (Actaea pachypoda). Photo by rfotostock on Pixabay. 

Ever felt watched in the woods? White baneberry, or as it is very aptly named, ‘doll’s eyes’, is a flowering plant with fruit resembling tiny eyeballs. The beady black dots in the middle are called stigmas and the pedicels (fruit bearing stalks) turn red as the fruit develops, further contributing to the plant’s shockingly visceral eyeball-like appearance. These berries are eaten by a variety of birds, and short-tongued bees collect pollen from the white flowers that bloom in spring. However, it is highly recommended humans do not ingest any part of this plant as consumption can cause cramps, dizziness, and even a sedative effect on the heart, leading to cardiac arrest with large amounts!

These six suitably spooky species remind us that nature can be unsettling and macabre, and what better time to marvel at these moths, fungi, and flowers than Halloween.

Mia Dias Laia Spragg is an English Literature graduate from the University of York and Online Editor of WILD Magazine. She is passionate about sustainable living, animal rights, and writing about nature, culture, and music. Details of her experience and interests can be found on LinkedIn.