FIRST ALERT WEATHER: Mother Nature’s Halloween decorations appear

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - This mushroom is called Deadman’s Fingers, and for a very good reason.

Many people, upon seeing it, react with a sense of unease.

As Nixa resident Miranda McDill put it, “We saw some normal, large mushrooms on a tree stump that was down in the river, and I don’t mind those, but those would freak me out a bit.”

This spooky fungus is native to the Ozarks, growing at the base of rotting deciduous trees, logs, and stumps in forested areas. In the spring, it typically appears as a white powder. However, as Francis Skalicky notes, “They can be seen all summer, but in the fall, they often get a finger type appearance.”

As the mushroom matures, its white spores transition from white to gray to black, and they also begin to harden, giving it a spooky, ominous appearance