Re: What are the black specks???????????

November 29, 2010

I have never looked under the scope at the specks, interesting that it is not

insect like. My theory is this could be some form of mold?

>

> Things have been fairly quiet for the last few days here - thank goodness. I

was covered in 50 or so bites last week so I was so grateful for the lack of

activity. I woke up this morning and my sheets were covered with black specks

near my head - same on my husbands side of the bed. This tells me my scalp is

going to explode again. Not looking forward to that. However, what are these

specks? They don't look like much under the scope - except that they are shaped

nearly the same. I have seen plenty of real bugs under my scope so I do know

what to look for. These specks are fairly large - larger than a mite....almost

like small black seeds and they feel hard/solid....any ideas? Just want to

learn more about what we are dealing with. I feel defeated again.

>

November 29, 2010

the hard ones are a type of crystal had them too lots but not anymore..I had them for about 6 months they would fall off out of nowhere it seemed but actually maybe the scalp You think You have Morg??They are a kinda a standard symptom I know it is creepy after taking doxy I don't havc most symptoms anymore very sorry You are going through this RoseFrom: southernbuggirl <jpingolt@...>bird mites Sent: Mon, November 29, 2010 5:36:08 AMSubject: What are the black specks???????????

Things have been fairly quiet for the last few days here - thank goodness. I was covered in 50 or so bites last week so I was so grateful for the lack of activity. I woke up this morning and my sheets were covered with black specks near my head - same on my husbands side of the bed. This tells me my scalp is going to explode again. Not looking forward to that. However, what are these specks? They don't look like much under the scope - except that they are shaped nearly the same. I have seen plenty of real bugs under my scope so I do know what to look for. These specks are fairly large - larger than a mite....almost like small black seeds and they feel hard/solid....any ideas? Just want to learn more about what we are dealing with. I feel defeated again.

November 29, 2010

The black specks for me were and are fibers. They come out of me daily and seem to stick to the biofilm. They seem to come out mainly when I'm sweating heavily. Mine do not feel like a seed because they aren't hard. They come out of my scalp, face, feet, anyplace that tends to sweat. After doing a thorough cleaning before Thanksgiving we found that fibers, blue, red and black were absolutely everywhere in our house. I'll vacuum my hard surface floors and 10 minutes later, they are back. Is the house making them or am I manufacturing all the fibers that are on every stick of furniture, floors, lampshades, on the tops of pictures, in the bathtub?

I am seriously going to start carrying a sticky roller with me for a few days and roll what is on surfaces at stores and any place I go just to look at on the scope. I'm so curious about this. Have you done this southern or anyone here?

What are the black specks???????????

Things have been fairly quiet for the last few days here - thank goodness. I was covered in 50 or so bites last week so I was so grateful for the lack of activity. I woke up this morning and my sheets were covered with black specks near my head - same on my husbands side of the bed. This tells me my scalp is going to explode again. Not looking forward to that. However, what are these specks? They don't look like much under the scope - except that they are shaped nearly the same. I have seen plenty of real bugs under my scope so I do know what to look for. These specks are fairly large - larger than a mite....almost like small black seeds and they feel hard/solid....any ideas? Just want to learn more about what we are dealing with. I feel defeated again.

November 29, 2010

Oh yes, some of these specks do look like mold. Even the green mold will appear black until it is magnified many times. Dark green appears black, but isn't.

L.

Re: What are the black specks???????????

I have never looked under the scope at the specks, interesting that it is not insect like. My theory is this could be some form of mold?>> Things have been fairly quiet for the last few days here - thank goodness. I was covered in 50 or so bites last week so I was so grateful for the lack of activity. I woke up this morning and my sheets were covered with black specks near my head - same on my husbands side of the bed. This tells me my scalp is going to explode again. Not looking forward to that. However, what are these specks? They don't look like much under the scope - except that they are shaped nearly the same. I have seen plenty of real bugs under my scope so I do know what to look for. These specks are fairly large - larger than a mite....almost like small black seeds and they feel hard/solid....any ideas? Just want to learn more about what we are dealing with. I feel defeated again.>

November 29, 2010

Rose I had the crystal to> I had morgellons and lyme. I am not sure the name

morgellon is really what this is, going by the original name given the disease.

>

> the hard ones are a type of crystal had them too lots but not anymore..I

> had them for about 6 months they would fall off out of nowhere it seemed but

> actually maybe the scalp You think You have Morg??They are a kinda a standard

> symptom I know it is creepy after taking doxy I don't havc most symptoms

> anymore very sorry You are going through this Rose

>

> ________________________________

> From: southernbuggirl <jpingolt@...>

> bird mites

> Sent: Mon, November 29, 2010 5:36:08 AM

> Subject: What are the black specks???????????

>

> Things have been fairly quiet for the last few days here - thank goodness. I

> was covered in 50 or so bites last week so I was so grateful for the lack of

> activity. I woke up this morning and my sheets were covered with black specks

> near my head - same on my husbands side of the bed. This tells me my scalp is

> going to explode again. Not looking forward to that. However, what are these

> specks? They don't look like much under the scope - except that they are

shaped

> nearly the same. I have seen plenty of real bugs under my scope so I do know

> what to look for. These specks are fairly large - larger than a

mite....almost

> like small black seeds and they feel hard/solid....any ideas? Just want to

> learn more about what we are dealing with. I feel defeated again.

>

November 29, 2010

not sure either exactly what this malady is....seems like lyme seems like something manmade just happy to see You here with usFrom: healinghope <mfrreman@...>bird mites Sent: Mon, November 29, 2010 10:18:28 AMSubject: Re: What are the black

specks???????????

Rose I had the crystal to> I had morgellons and lyme. I am not sure the name morgellon is really what this is, going by the original name given the disease.

>

> the hard ones are a type of crystal had them too lots but not anymore..I

> had them for about 6 months they would fall off out of nowhere it seemed but

> actually maybe the scalp You think You have Morg??They are a kinda a standard

> symptom I know it is creepy after taking doxy I don't havc most symptoms

> anymore very sorry You are going through this Rose

>

> ________________________________

> From: southernbuggirl <jpingolt@...>

> bird mites

> Sent: Mon, November 29, 2010 5:36:08 AM

> Subject: What are the black specks???????????

>

> Things have been fairly quiet for the last few days here - thank goodness. I

> was covered in 50 or so bites last week so I was so grateful for the lack of

> activity. I woke up this morning and my sheets were covered with black specks

> near my head - same on my husbands side of the bed. This tells me my scalp is

> going to explode again. Not looking forward to that. However, what are these

> specks? They don't look like much under the scope - except that they are shaped

> nearly the same. I have seen plenty of real bugs under my scope so I do know

> what to look for. These specks are fairly large - larger than a mite....almost

> like small black seeds and they feel hard/solid....any ideas? Just want to

> learn more about what we are dealing with. I feel defeated again.

>

November 29, 2010

The info below was posted by healinghope not too long ago with

regard to black specks. I remember having too many things in common

with this specific type of fungus--artillery fungus. My theory is

that morgellons is a GMO fungal organism that is taking over. And

the black specks are just part of it. But then again, that's just my

theory based on all the info I've read.

When researching the black specks I foundÂ thisÂ articleÂ awhile

back very interesting > And yes I alsoÂ haveÂ seen

theÂ blackÂ specks,Â everywhereÂ it seems? Â Article from Penn State

http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/d/d/ddd2/

Dr. '

HomepageÂ

Plant Pathology HomepageÂ

Artillery Fungus

(FAQ)

Artillery Fungus

PublicationsÂ

Artillery Fungus - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Asked to

Dr. D. , Penn State

(Updated July 26, 2010)

These are typical, frequently asked questions (FAQ) that I

normally field during the spring and summer (very seldom in the

winter) -- along with a brief summary of typical answers. Answers

are meant to be (hopefully) informative, not very technical, and

are not meant to offer concrete solutions. The questions are

generally in the order that they are askedâ€¦Â

Q: We have theseÂ small, black spotsÂ that

look like specks of tar, all over our white, vinyl siding of our

house. It's on the porch, my windows, but it is worse on the

siding. It goes all the way up to my second-story windows, and

is even under my soffitt and on my gutters. What do you think it

is?

A: Sound like you have the infamous "artillery fungus". ClickÂ hereÂ to see what the spores of the

artillery fungus look like on house siding.

Q: I think I have seen some spots on my car. Does the

artillery fungus also get on cars?

A: Yes, this is common on the sides of automobiles when cars are

parked near mulched areas that are infested with the artillery

fungus. It is especially noticeable on white sports cars â€“ at

least these are the owners that complain the most.

In fact, we have had complaints where private companies have

artillery spores on 50-100 cars in their parking lots. The next

question asked is, "How do we remove the spots from the sides of

cars?" We do no know, but some suggestions have included: power

washing if the artillery fungus spots are very new and paint/wax

on the cars is also new and shiny; automotive-paint rubbing

compounds; and removal (if there are only a few spots) with the

edge of a credit card. However, you must be very careful not to

damage the car's finish. See some car owners' attempts at removing

the spots from cars at the end of this section. These are NOT

recommendations!!!

Q: Does the artillery fungus hurt pets?

A: Not a problem.

Q: So, what exactly is the artillery fungus?

A: The artillery fungus is a white-rotting, wood-decay fungus that

likes to live on moist landscape mulch. It is in the genusÂ SphaerobolusÂ (Greek

for "sphere thrower") and is very common across the USA,

especially in the East, as well as many other parts of the world.

The most common species in Pennsylvania seems to beÂ S. iowensisÂ (contrary

to previous reports â€“ including our own). The artillery fungus is

technically a "Basidiomycete" fungus (like the common mushroom

that we eat), and probably is most closely related to a group of

fungi calledÂ "earth stars". However, the artillery

fungus is much smaller that the earth star that you may see

occasionally growing in your yard. There may be other fungi and

fungi-like organismsÂ growing in your mulch.

Q: I cannot see artillery fungus in the mulch â€“ just how

big is it? Is it the same as those little cups called the

"bird's nest fungus"?

A: The artillery fungus is quite small â€“ the fruiting bodies are

about 1/10 of an inch across and are very hard to see in the

mulch.

They are much smaller than theÂ "bird's nest fungus"Â with which it is often confused.

By the way, the bird's nest fungus does not actively shoot its

spores â€“ those little "eggs" of the bird's nest fungus are

splashed out when a drop of rain hits the cup.

Q: Why is it called the "artillery" fungus? Is it also

called the "shotgun fungus"?

A: The termÂ artilleryÂ refers to the fact that the

artillery fungus actively (uses energy) shoots its spore masses,

sort of like a cannon or howitzer (anÂ artillerypiece). We

will call these "spores," although they are actually spore masses,

or gleba. The spores are usually shot only a short distance,

several feet, but the wind can carry them for longer distances,

even up to the second story of a house.

The term "shotgunÂ fungus" usually refers toÂ Pilobolus, a different kind of

fungus that is common on fresh horse dung.

Q: Why doÂ light-coloredÂ houses and cars have more

problems than darker cars and houses?

A: In nature, the artillery fungus shoots its spores towards

sunlight. In the absence of direct sunlight, it shoots the spores

at highly reflective surfaces, such as white house siding. And, of

course, the black spots show up better on white surfaces, so they

are noticed more easily.

Q: The artillery fungus problem seems to be muchÂ more

severeÂ now, than in the good old days. I don't remember

this being a problem 20 - 25 years ago. Why is it now a problem?

A: This is a tough question. Wider recognition and awareness of

the artillery fungus by the public certainly has led to aÂ perceivedÂ increase

in the problem. However, I think the problem is alsoÂ realisticallyÂ more

severe than in past years, partly due to increased use of

landscape mulch. There is more mulch being used these days, and

therefore, more favorable material for the artillery fungus in our

urban and suburban areas.

The artillery fungus may be just as common out in mulched flower

beds far away from your house, but it is not noticed at that

location. But, put the same mulch (and artillery fungus) next to

your house foundation, add a white or reflective siding, and you

may have a severe problem!

In addition, it is my experience that the artillery fungus seems

to preferÂ woodÂ as opposed to bark. Much of the mulch that

we use today is recycled wood â€“ in the past, most mulch was bark.

In addition, the finely-shredded mulches used today hold more

moisture than the older coarsely ground mulches â€“ this favors

fungi, because they need moisture to survive!

Q: Why is this problem more severeÂ in some yearsÂ than

in others?Â

A: The artillery fungus grows better and produces more spores

during wet years, such as 2003 and 2004 (here in the Northeast).

It is most common during the cool spring and fall, and is much

less of a problem in the hot dry periods of mid-summer. And, not

at all a problem during the winter here in Pennsylvania.

Q: The number of spots seems to be worse on theÂ northÂ side

of my house. Is this just my imagination?

A: It isÂ notÂ your imagination, and you are a good observer.

The artillery fungus often grows better in the mulch on the cool,

shady, moist side of the house (usually the north side of the

house here in the Northeast) where growing conditions are more

suitable for the fungus.

Q: Are those spots alive? Will they hurt my house, like

eat holes in my siding?

A: Yes, they are alive, but not in the sense that they can hurt

your siding. They are dormant, or sleeping, and pose no threat to

the siding other than staining it.

Q: So, how do I get the artillery fungusÂ offÂ my

house siding? Will any cleaning chemicals remove it? Power

washing? How about just plain scraping? Do the spores stick to

all kinds of siding?

A: The spore masses of the artillery fungus stick like super-glue.

We have not found a good, efficient way to get them off without

leaving a stain or damaging the siding, especially on old dry

siding. Power washingÂ mayÂ work on brand new (only) vinyl

siding that still has a shiny, oily, sheen.

Each spore mass can be physically scraped, "steel-wooled", or

sanded off. Then the stain might be removed with an ink eraser,

but this is a pain, literally.

Beware of any cleansers that have claims that sound "too good to

be true", with regards to removing the artillery fungus. It is

likely that they are, in fact, too good to be true. At the end of

this section I have listed some attempts that readers have used to

remove artillery fungus.

Q: How did the artillery fungus get in my mulch? My

neighbors do not have it â€“ only me! Why me!

A: This is extremely difficult to answer. The artillery fungus

commonly occurs on dead trees, dead branches, rotting wood, etc.

throughout the Northeast. I have seen it in the forest on standing

dead trees and limbs on the ground, as well on wood in

mulch-producing yards. If infested material is used for mulch, the

artillery fungus may be already in the mulch when the load of

mulch arrives at a job site, and may then grow rapidly along your

foundation during cool moist conditions. However, this is likely a

problem only when mulch is not composted, which subjects the mulch

to higher internal temperatures.

Or spore masses may already be present at a site on old mulch,

previously infested plant leaves, rabbit or deer droppings,

decaying leaves, and grass. These existing spores may immediately

infest new applications of mulch. In some cases, the spores also

may be transported for very short distances via wind from adjacent

infested sources. Spores may also be brought to the site on

infested nursery plants, by being stuck to the undersurface of

leaves, if the nursery also had an artillery fungus problem. When

the leaves fall off onto the mulch the attached spores inoculate

the mulchâ€¦ here we go again!

People can also spread the artillery fungus in various ways. Some

homeowners make the mistake of sanding, scraping, or otherwise

removing the spore masses from the sides of their houses, and

letting them fall onto their foundation mulch. Such spores are

dormant, but very much alive. They germinate and infest the mulch.

Q: You mean that the artillery fungus canÂ come in on

plants and shrubberyÂ that I am planting along my

foundation?

A: Yes, this is possible, but only if the nursery had an artillery

fungus problem in its pots or beds. But, this does not appear to

be very common in my experience.

Q: In your studies, have you found any wood/bark mulches

that the artillery fungus absolutely willÂ NOTÂ grow on?

A: No. All mulches that we studied eventually supported the

artillery fungus after being outside for several years. However,

some mulch performed better than others.

Q: So what mulch(es) appear to be best?

A: We tested 27 mulches in the field, and found that some

supported more artillery fungus than others. In one study, the

most resistant mulch wasÂ large pine bark nuggets. The large

bark nuggets stay hard and dry, conditions that the artillery

fungus does not like. Cypress mulch also performed well, as it

probably contains some anti-fungal, anti-decay chemical(s).

However, there may be some environmental, non-sustainable reasons

for not using cypress.

ClickÂ hereÂ for an article from theÂ Journal

of Environmental HorticultureÂ entitled "Artillery Fungus

Sporulation on 27 Different Mulches- A Field Study."

Q: I have heard that used "mushroom compost" will suppress

the artillery fungus. Will it?

A: Used mushroom compost, also known as "mushroom soil," "spent

mushroom substrate (SMS)," and even "black gold" is a great

product, if you live in an area where you can get it! Mushroom

compost has many beneficial aspects for gardeners, one which is

that it supports micro-organisms that inhibit many unwanted pest

fungi. Mushroom compost is pasteurized before it is used to grow

mushrooms, and then the used compost is pasteurized again when it

leaves the mushroom house, so it should not contain weed seeds.

Our research at Penn State has shown that blending used mushroom

compost with a landscape mulch at about 40 % will greatly suppress

artillery fungus sporulation. Mushroom compost is very "green" and

environmentally friendly.

ClickÂ hereÂ for an article from theÂ Journal

of Environmental HorticultureÂ entitled "Use of Mushroom

Compost to Suppress Artillery Fungus."

Q: How about artificiallyÂ coloredÂ mulches?

A: We have tested mulches of various colors, as well as the

chemicals themselves that are used to color the mulches. The

chemicals in our tests, at the concentrations used, did not

inhibit the artillery fungus.

Colored mulches appeared to very slightly, but onlyÂ temporarily,

inhibit the artillery fungus. We attribute this to the colored

mulches being slightly more water repellent and therefore remain

drier than the non-colored mulches, at least at first. As the

colors faded due to rain and sunlight, the artillery fungus moved

right

Q: Should I put downÂ new mulchÂ each year?

A: Interestingly, homeowners that put down a new layer of mulch

each year generally have a lesser artillery fungus problem. But,

we have not confirmed this practice. But it does seem to work, if

you don't miss a year!

Q: How aboutÂ compostedÂ mulch? Is it better or

worse?

A: You really need to ask this question to a compost expert, but

most good mulch today is composted to some degree.

Q: What if I justÂ paintÂ over the spores on my

wood

A: That will probably seal them in. It may solve your problem, but

will give a pebbly appearance to your paint job. Each repainting

will seal in the artillery fungus even more.

Q: Are there any registeredÂ fungicidesÂ that will

kill the

A: There are no fungicides labeled for use against the artillery

fungus in landscape mulch. Bleach, if it worked, would be very

temporary, since it leaches out with each rain. We have tested

many different fungicides in the laboratory, but have to take the

experiment to the field. ClickÂ hereÂ for an article from theJournal

of Environmental HorticultureÂ entitled "In vitroÂ screening

of fungicides to control artillery fungi."

Q: I cannot get those black spores off my siding, without

leaving a lot of small brown stains. My siding is ruined. Will

myÂ homeowner's insuranceÂ pay for residing my house?

A: Some insurance companies will and others won't. It depends on

your insurance company, your agent, the exemptions in your policy,

and especially your lawyer.

Q: I just checked my policy. My homeowner's policy states

that it does not cover (that is, there is an exemption) "molds".

Is the artillery fungus a mold?

A: This is another difficult question, and one that lawyers like

to argue. Mold is generally thought of as being a superficial,

fuzzy fungus growing on damp or decaying organic matter. Like that

fuzzy stuff on old "moldy" bread or on an old orange. The

artillery fungus does exhibit such growth during part of its life

cycle, when living in damp mulch, and therefore is (at least at

times) a "mold" during part of its life cycle.

Q: What is aÂ biologicalÂ definition of a mold?

A: Biologically, the term "mold" has been used to generally

describe a lot of different organisms such as slime molds, sooty

mold, pink mold, blue mold on cheese, water molds, etc. These

terms may be found in most modern, scientific textbooks or

dictionaries dealing with "Mycology" (the study of fungi). This

general biological usage makes the term mold very inclusive; under

such a general usage, therefore, molds include many types of

organisms, such as the artillery fungus, at least during part of

its life cycle.

Q: But the actual spores stuck to the side of my house are

not molds, are they? If not, then does my insurance policy

include them?

A: The spores on the side of your house are the reproductive

structures of the fungus (although not biologically correct, think

"seeds"). A good analogy is that they are shot like bullets from a

gun. Just as the "bullets" are not the same as the "gun", the

"spore masses" on your house are not the same as a "mold". Lawyers

can put whatever spin they want on such terminology. And they do.

Q: Can you recommend a good lawyer who can solve my

artillery fungus problem?

A: No.

Q: But, this is America! Who can I sue? Who is

responsible? Is the contractor that applied the mulch

responsible? Is the person who made the mulch responsible? Is

the store that sold me the mulch responsible?

A: Since the artillery fungus can enter the chain of events at

various places, I don't see how anyone can be held responsible,

unless they willingly supplied mulch with known artillery fungus

in it. Which, of course, no good businessman would do! In my

opinion, it is nearly impossible to prove where the artillery

fungus entered the chain of events. This again is a subject for

the lawyers.

Q: So, what is the final, ultimate solution to my

problem???

A: Take out all of the infested mulch (usually just around the

foundation - not out in the yard), bag it in a biodegradable bag,

and take it to a landfill. Then put down a layer of black plastic,

and overlay it with stone or an artificial (non-organic) mulch.

Q: But, I don't like stone - it's so cold! I want to stay

organic, and, like, use, like some sort of wood/bark mulch. Yet

I can't stand the artillery fungus. It's driving me bonkers.

What should I do?? I'm at my wit's end.

A: Well, then, you have to learn to live with the problem. That

is, you cannot beat the artillery fungus (at this time), so manage

it. Use mulches that the artillery fungus doesn't like, such as

large pine bark nuggets. Then, put down a fresh layer of mulch

each year â€“ we have no evidence for this, but yearly applications

of layers of mulch really seem to inhibit the artillery fungus.

Another possibility, but one we haven not investigated, is to use

ground cover such as ivy, periwinkle, or pachysandraÂ in place

of the mulchÂ around your foundation. It seems likely that

the artillery fungus would not grow well under the canopy (on the

fallen dead leaves) of such ground-cover plants. Or, establish

lawn right up to your foundation. An artificial mulch made of

plastic, old tires, etc. should work, but we have not tested it.

Q: OK, I am going to remove my old, infested mulch. But,

what do I do with it?

A: The best thing to do is probably bag it in a biodegradable bag

and take it to a landfill. At least the mulch is organic and will

rot away. Make sure you don't put the infested mulch somewhere

where you could be held responsible for someone else's artillery

fungus problem. This is out of my field, but it has been suggested

that the infested mulch could be put in a yard waste-composting

facility. But you really need to ask this question to a "compost

expert."

Q: Do you ever get suggestions regarding removal of the

spores from surfaces like cars or houses, and have you ever

tried any of them?Â

A: Yes, I have received many suggestions regarding removal of

spores from cars or houses. I haveÂ notÂ tried any of them.

I have listed a few suggestions from readers below, but I

emphasize that these have not been tested are not my

recommendations.

* NoteÂ that most involve abrasives, and a lot

of "elbow grease", especially if the spots have been on the

surface for some time! So, one is really just scraping off the

spots, which may land back in the mulch.... Having said that,

please let me know if any of these actually do work! Again,

these areÂ notÂ my recommendations.

Reader's

Suggestions For Removal From Cars

Corn oil will work to loosen the spores from car finishes.

It can be applied using a soft nylon pad, like the "Dobie"

Brand (but avoid such pads that will scratch the surface,

e.g., Scrunge Pad). Wash it off immediately with soap and hose

water after removing the spores. It takes a bit of rubbing,

but it will loosen. Do not apply in direct sun as the oil will

cook to the surface, especially on hot summer days. Remove the

corn oil immediately lest it cake to the car finish. By no

means, let it sit overnight. Polish the car thereafter to

restore an even finish and remove any residual oil.

The spots are on our cars. My husband spent over 2 hours

this past weekend picking the spots off of my car. What a

mess!!

I run an automotive web site and have had personal

experience with artillery fungus. I did a quick write up on my

blog to let people know what I have done to remove these pesky

spores, thought it might be of interest to you. Go to my blogÂ here

I have it and my daughter's car was covered in it. I took it

to a local detail shop and they used white vinegar to remove

it from the car.

Car wax worked in the removal from my car (safely) with a

little elbow grease.

On my new truck, I used 'Turtle Wax Spray Bug & Tar and

Tree Sap Remover'. I sprayed it on the spots (in small

sections) and let it soak in for a few seconds. I then rubbed

the spots with pieces of an old soft towel, occasionally using

my finger nail thru the towel. In about 4 hours I got all of

the spots off, probably because the spots were 2 days old or

less.

.... I found the following product to work the best in the

area of removing the stain left on a vehicle surface once the

sticky portion has been removed:Meguiars-Smooth Surface Clay KitÂ ...the

entire vehicle will need to be done to ensure an even

appearance otherwise you'll end up with glossy spots in the

treated areas

To remove from cars or travel trailers. I have had great

success by first scraping them very carefully with a plastic

scraper and then simply removing the stain with a "Magic

Eraser".

I happen to detail cars and have found these little spots,

that I now know to be fungus (thank you) to be rather

annoying.Â I use my thumb nail to remove the majority of the

spores.Â A little residue is left behind which comes off

easily with wax, once you break the hard outer shell.Â A Mr.

Clean Magic Eraser will also work if you are not waxing the

car, after you scrape off the outer shell.Â Just be careful,

as Magic Erasers can damage paint if rubbed too much.Â Â If

these spores are not removed quickly, they become rock hard

and will be very difficult to remove.

Dr. , I would not suggest using a magic eraser on a car

surface.Â I just got finished doing this and it left scratch

marks which then had to be fixed with a scratch remover and

then waxed.

Reader's

Suggestions For Removal From Houses

I've used bleach-water on the vinyl siding and it's been the

only thing that helped at all (still took some pretty good

scrubbing)...

Had an estimated 100 plus spots per square foot. A high

pressure sprayer, bristle brush, plastic pot scrubber, and

strong (vinyl safe) cleaners had no effect on the spots. A

sharpened bamboo chop stick was the best tool we found for

removing the spots. A sponge and detergent would then clean

off the rest.

The last thing we had done was to paint over the spores that

were on the aluminum trim using oil-based paint and to have a

few screens re-screened.

Couldn't be removed with a brush and if picked off with a

fingernail left a brown stain); called a power washing

company, described the situation and they told her it was

Artillery Fungus and they wouldn't even take our money because

it was virtually impossible to get off.

I have started using an ink eraser on the spots. It does

leave a smudge, but takes out the stain completely. I am going

to try car wax to even out the smudges.

Labor intensive. I used a sponge with Simple Green on it

(full strength is good) and in the other hand you take an INK

eraser and you erase it, adding some Simple Green every few

strokes. It removes it completely, then you buff the siding

hard to remove any eraser smudges.

Only way that I have defeated the fungus is to wash the

walls with "outside clorox" along with a brillo pad. It is not

a sure cure.

Had one product that has recently helped me in cleaning off

the spots left by the artillery fungus. It's called 'Pro-Tek

Chemical' and when mixed in about a 10-1 solution of water (

and while using some small bristled type pad & elbow

grease) I have been able to remove much of the worst of it.

While I have just started using it, I cannot say what (if any)

long term negative outcomes might be on my white siding.

Within a week or two after landing, the spores may be

emulsified with soapy water or removed with mineral spirits.

I have heard that a product called Jomax and bleach may

work.

I've tried to get the spots off the surfaces and they don't

really budge.

I am able to remove the "spots" on the windows with a

drywall putty knife and some soapy water. We have casement

windows, so the fungus that is on the "white" vinyl casement

around the window is the worse. Our siding is a wood grain tan

color, so it does not show as bad.

Here is a solution we recommend for removing the black

spots:

1/2 cup detergent (Tide, for example)

2/3 cup trisodium phosphate (Soilax, for example)

1 quart 5% sodium hypochlorite (Chlorox, for example)

3 quarts water

We suggest applying this solution with a soft bristled brush

and removing with water.

Beforehand we tried to remove the black spots with a power

washer but to no avail. A year passed by and the condition

grew worse. I tried steel-wool, but that really didn't do

much. My wife tried a green Brillo pad and water. That had

some noticeable affect but seemed to take a lot of scrubbing.

Then, I tried Mr. Clean Magic Eraser out on the siding and

with very little effort the spots came right off. I tried it

on all three sides of the house and it removed every bit of it

from the areas I applied the pad. Our vinyl siding has

texturing to it, and so it was surprising to see how easy the

spots were taken off with the Mr. Clean product. So ecstatic

was I that I kept wiping away the spots within arms reach

until the pad was depleted.

Each spring I take a plastic scraper and remove all the

spots I can find, then wash the siding with Clorox Cleanup.

It's time consuming and a pain staking process, but I manage

to remove 98-99% of the spots, with a thin outer circle

usually remaining.

When my husband noticed it I went to action right away- the

Mr. Clean sponges work really well and I have been able to get

the majority of it off of our bay window, screens and door. Of

course this is only feasible because it is not as severe as in

the past and the rest of the house is brick, but thought you

might want to pass this along. It removes the entire spot and

doesn't scratch.

I have two gardens in the front of the house off the

foundation. One side has pure peat moss and the other a

wood/bark mulch. Surprisingly, the siding on the peat side has

no spotting on the siding! This may be a solution to the

problem. Possibly peat inhibits fungus growth.The only

downside is cost.

From DD: "This is interesting, since many mosses

including peat moss specifically are often anti-microbial,

even being used in the old days for wound dressings in

wartime!"

We are having some success with one home with vinyl

siding... have been soaking with cleaning solution called

power house butyl degreaser and hand brushing, then rinsing.

Although there is still a light stain [approx. 75% of the

stain is gone], it seems to fade as it dries.

We just got vinyl siding on our home...Alcoa's latest. I

noticed the black dots this spring but wasn't surprised as my

neighbors have been fighting them on their white vinyl pool

fence for years. "Eagle 1 all around [automobile] wheel

cleaner" took the dots off of the house siding fairly

quickly...with my wheel brush...the cleaner is listed for

painted or clear coated wheels. There doesn't seem to be any

etching. The dot's have only been there since this

spring...We've also used the magic eraser sponges from QVC on

the neighbors pool fence butÂ it takes some elbow grease.

Live in new condo area. Artillery fungus a very big problem.

Believe it or not, used Simple Green, a spray cleaner used for

cleaning cars and tools. Tried it on siding. Takes off dark

residue and doesn't leave stain. Seems to have no effect on

siding.

Here is an interesting one: "I am a tenth grade student

attending Battlefield High School in Gainesville, Virginia.

Through much experimentation in an independent research

project I have found the cure to the pestering peridiole

problem. Are you interested to learn of my results? I

replied,"Yes"and she sent the followingÂ abstractÂ and full report). And, I

have received email from people who tried her suggestions, and

they said it worked great!!!

Just a quick note of thanks for your page on this blight to

mankind that has cost me many hours of scrubbing of my cars

and siding. Of particular usefulness was the link describing

the experiments of the 10th grader in Virginia. Don't know if

curiosity got the better of you and you actually tried her

recommendations, but if not I can say the kid knows what she's

talking about! Following the 2-step process, the spots

literally wipe right off. My fingertips and nails are saved!

There are hundreds of articles on-line saying you can't get

the spots off. But, The kids method works! We did refine it a

little by replacing the toothpaste with the Mr. Clean Magic

eraser. It's a breeze. We wet a paper towel with mouthwash,

wiped down the spots until they softened and wiped off (6-7

swipes did it) and went over the stain with the Magic eraser.

The spots were completely gone.

The only solution that I have found to remove the fungus is

Soft Scrub cleaner with bleach.....and lots of elbow grease!

Â The fungus attaches to our windows, front door, siding along

the farmer's front porch and the porch rockers. Â I think we

will resort to stone, peat mulch, or pachysandra next year as

it takes days to scrape off the fungus each year. Â I am going

to try the Scope and toothpaste idea this year. Â Will let you

know how it works. Â Thank goodness we park our cars

inside......I never thought of it attacking vehicles.

I have removed all of the infested mulch already, and I am

looking forward to putting something down that will not be

prone to growth of the artillery fungus.

My current plan is to remove the mulch and replace it with

small rocks. The time consuming job is to remove the dots. I

tried the mouthwash and Mr. Clean Magic Eraser technique and

that does work.

After looking at the blight on my aluminum siding for years,

I decided to do a little research on the internet and stumbled

across your web site FAQs on Artillery Fungus. I've tried many

cleaners, but it mostly came down to a lot of elbow grease.

Tonight I decided to try a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I was so

excited that I called my wife and kids out to take a look at

how easily it removed the spores and stains. Within a matter

of minutes I had the front of my house clean. If we can't get

rid of it, we may as well learn to live with it. This

certainly makes it manageable.

Thanks for the article regarding artillery fungus and how to

remove the spores from vinyl siding. My husband and I tried

everything in the house to try and remove the spores. Acetone

did work in conjunction with a Mr. Clean Magic eraser (the

extra strength one). But to our surprise, we found by accident

that if you sprayed the area with Easy Off oven cleanser and

let it set for 5 to 10 minutes, it came off a lot easier. The

oven cleaner acted like it would normally in an oven. I did

first scrape off the spore with either my fingernail or a

plastic scraper. Then I applied the oven cleaner. Let it set

on the spores for a few minutes, then using the Mr. Clean

Magic eraser was able to remove most of the spore. It did

leave a small red dot, but it is faint, and we are hoping the

sun will eventually fade he red stain over time. Hope this

will help others (August 2009).

(I tried) bleach, stripper, M1, acetone, mineral spirits,

gasoline, a prespray of fungicide and nothing worked. What I

did find upon alot of research and finding your site was MAGIC

ERASER! I presprayed my siding the evening before with a

mixture of clorox bleach and M1 mildew aide and let it sit

until morningâ€¦Â The next morning I started scrubbing with a

tad bit of water and Magic Eraser and amazingly almost every

stain came off. I did find that the earlier you do this the

better! This fungus had went approximately 12-15 feet up from

the ground.Â Now, my siding is fairly spotless again and I

hope that this information will help assist people so that

they will not buy chemicals that do not work! MAGIC ERASER AND

ELBOW GREASE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

The abstract by the 10th grade student in Virginia

identified Cinnamon Ice Scope mouthwash.Â I could not find

this in my local stores, but we had some Walgreen's Spring

Mint antiseptic mouthwash.Â It worked well, after allowing it

to penetrate for about 5-10 minutes.

Using a heavy-duty Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and mild rubbing for

15 - 20 seconds removed the stain effectively.

Your background, FAQ and readers' suggestions have been

helpful. We live in CT, have used a pine mulch for years but

this is the first year (2010) we noticed the fungus, probably

just missed it in the past. We tried most of the suggested

solutions without success. Today we tried a product called ECO

ORANGE, produced by PRO-TEK Chemicals... [at a] 10:1 ratio and

that took off most of the spots with limited scrubbing. We are

just experimenting with it in small secluded areas and giving

it a few days to see if there are any after effects. Thanks

for your research and recommendations.

No one in our area [eastern Illinois] ever heard of this

fungus. Landscapers, lawn service, cleaning services,

insurance provider, let me rephrase that, insurance

non-provider, knew what the black dots were. Yes we removed

all the mulch. We had a 15x25 flower garden area at our

entrance, on the North side of our home. We tried to burn it

and what was left we buried. We had obtained the mulch from a

wood palate company in a town north of us. It was not treated,

and we thought that was why the fungus grew. We have scraped

the soil after removing the infested mulch, sprayed with a

fungicide, for extra measure, lay down a plastic barrier, and

purchased treated cypress mulch. There are still many many

spores on the surrounding plants that make me very nervous....

I was successful in removing the spores off the six large

windows across the front of our home. A large razor blade in a

handle was convenient. I learned quickly not to scrape in a

vertical motion. All the spores popped off all over my hair,

face and down my t-shirt. Yuck!! Thanks again. I hope we can

help others in their plight.

On 11/29/2010 2:18 PM, rose wrote:

Â

not sure either exactly what this malady is....seems

like lyme Â seems like something manmade Â just happy to

see You here with us

From:

healinghope <mfrreman@...>

To:

bird mites

Sent:

Mon, November 29, 2010 10:18:28 AM

Subject:

Re: What are the black

specks???????????

Â

Rose I had the crystal to> I had morgellons

and lyme. I am not sure the name morgellon is

really what this is, going by the original name

given the disease.

>

> the hard ones are a type of crystal had them

too lots but not anymore..I

> had them for about 6 months they would fall

off out of nowhere it seemed but

> actually maybe the scalp You think You have

Morg??They are a kinda a standard

> symptom I know it is creepy after taking doxy

I don't havc most symptoms

> anymore very sorry You are going through this

Rose

>

> ________________________________

> From: southernbuggirl <jpingolt@...>

> bird mites

> Sent: Mon, November 29, 2010 5:36:08 AM

> Subject: What are the black

specks???????????

>

> Things have been fairly quiet for the last

few days here - thank goodness. I

> was covered in 50 or so bites last week so I

was so grateful for the lack of

> activity. I woke up this morning and my

sheets were covered with black specks

> near my head - same on my husbands side of

the bed. This tells me my scalp is

> going to explode again. Not looking forward

to that. However, what are these

> specks? They don't look like much under the

scope - except that they are shaped

> nearly the same. I have seen plenty of real

bugs under my scope so I do know

> what to look for. These specks are fairly

large - larger than a mite....almost

> like small black seeds and they feel

hard/solid....any ideas? Just want to

> learn more about what we are dealing with. I

feel defeated again.

>

November 29, 2010

Thanks to all for your theories....my husband spoke to a well known entemologist

today - I am disheartened....he basically told him it would be impossible for us

to still have mites and that people who move, throw out their furniture &

clothing and/or obsessively clean are delusional. You all know the story. I

hate that my dear husband cannot fathom that we still may have mites and we also

have morgellons. He just can't go there. Even with real symptoms, even with

positive id's - he just can't bring himself to face the reality of the

situation. Which leaves just me to deal with this and our kids. I wish he

would quit searching for the silver bullets and so called experts. Any advice

on how to get him to accept that this is our plight and to pitch in to help me

fight the good fight?