Turkey Tail Mushroom (Trametes versicolor). A mushroom that’s commonly found throughout North America, also in Asia and Europe. It lives on standing dead trees, fallen trees or their stumps. And sometimes they’re found on wounds of living trees as well.
Turkey Tail Mushroom is saprophytic, which means that it creates enzymes which break down the cell walls of dead wood, supplying nourishment for the mushroom. As this process goes on, the mushrooms are helping clear the forest for new growth.
In turn the Turkey Tail Mushroom is eaten by caterpillars of the Fungus Moth (Nemaxera betulinella), maggots of the Platypezid Fly (Polyporivora picta), and the Fungus Gnat (Mycetophila luctuosa).
But to me, one who roams the woods, in these mushrooms Mother Nature has created something to delight the eye.