Combating Artillery Fungus Requires More than a Shotgun Approach

Lets start by explaining just exactly what this is.

Genus Sphaerobolus: Artillery Fungus take on the character of tiny black specks resembling shotgun blast that appear on house siding, wooden decks, cars, and other surfaces. With a closer look, Artillery fungus is a cream or orange-brown cup containing a black round mass of spores that are difficult to see. Or in better terms gross.

Despite the most intense efforts, complete elimination of this fungus seems impossible. At best, light black or brown shadows remain on the cleaned surface.

If allowed to spread or sit for an extended period of time, it becomes virtually impossible to remove the spores from most surfaces.

Let’s take a closer look as to Artillery Fungus: These Specks appear to resemble insect feces, scale crawlers, or air-borne pollutants, but they actually are mature spore masses expelled from the fruiting bodies of a fungus which we’ve come to know as artillery or shotgun fungus. Technically, artillery fungus is what we encounter the most as shotgun fungus grows on horse dung.

Artillery fungus develops in organic mulch and other organic materials and is at its greatest problem during the spring and fall when conditions are cool and moist with temperatures ranging from 50 to 70 degrees.

The spores from Artillery fungus can ruin the appearance of siding or wooden decks and it is theorized that artillery fungus can complete its life cycle on wood but not the bark.

Artillery Fungus causes more damage the longer it sits. Although it is possible to remove the longer it sits the harder it is to remove.

ChicagoLand SoftWash uses techniques that are tried and true to removing this eye sore and sustaining fungus, but early identification is vital to this process.

If you see any of the symptoms listed here, give us a call. We’ll come out to your location and walk you through our process as well as show you preventive measures that can be used to stop this fungus from returning.

The cost differential is also something to be aware of as this is one of the hardest of all the fungus’ out there to get removed from your surface without long lasting effects or damage. ChicagoLand SoftWash, getting rid of the fungus that is among us.