Chinese photographer captures spores drifting off Amanita macrocarpa

An amateur photographer recently used a micro-lens to capture the magical moment when the Amanita macrocarpa released its spores in southwest China’s Yunnan Province. In the footage, countless tiny spores drifted away from the gills with the air currents, resembling a microscopic meteor shower – a dreamlike and captivating scene.

Amanita macrocarpa is a large fungus belonging to the genus Amanita in the family Amanitaceae, with a distinct ring on the upper part of its stem. When its cap is fully open, a mist of spores drifts out from between the gills, continuing day and night for two to four days.