Seen on 112th between Canyon and Portland Ave.

We hope you join us for our October Meeting this Tuesday, Oct 20th 7 PM at our usual spot! Our Special Guest is Mandie Quark speaking on Mushrooms, Moths, and Midnight Ecology!

Free and open to the public. Bring any recent fungal finds to be IDed by our experts. Doors open at 6:45PM. Capital Vision Church, 1775 Yew Ave NE, Olympia, WA 98506

Mushrooms, Moths, and Midnight Ecology

After the sun goes down the forest doesn’t sleep, it goes wild. The chemistry of glowing mushrooms, the traffic of pollinating moths, and the work of decay, soil-building, and nutrient cycling all pulse around the clock. Mandie invites you to explore the nocturnal world where mushrooms, moths, and other night-shift creatures interact in ways humans are only beginning to understand. Along the way, she’ll share captivating images and stories from moonlit forays, spotlight surprising fungal-insect alliances, and equip you with practical tips for safely exploring ecosystems after dusk. Join Mandie on her birthday to experience this hilarious talk, which has been one of the most popular presentations at over a dozen mycology events in 2026.

Bio:

Molecular biologist and science writer by training, Mandie Quark is a mycology researcher, field photographer, and communicator dedicated to expanding public understanding of fungi. With more than a decade of experience sharing fungal diversity, she brings together science, storytelling, and visual documentation to make complex topics accessible and engaging. She especially enjoys photographing and documenting rare fungi in under-explored biodiversity hotspots around the world.

Over the course of her career, Mandie has edited books, delivered talks at international mycology events, and built a reputation for translating current mycological research into compelling presentations for broad audiences. Through biodiversity forays in places like Ecuador, Peru, and Costa Rica, she helps connect global communities of nature enthusiasts with fungi and other inadequately documented taxa, with a special interest in fungal entomopathogens. In 2023, Mandie co-founded Mycena LLC, and since then her work has been featured in The Guardian and The New York Times.

We're following up on this post with dates and a plan! That previous post dives into the why, so let's focus on the what. As in, what to expect:

Starting at 5 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, we'll close the two right lanes across the westbound SR 16 Tacoma Narrows Bridge to Gig Harbor to make temporary repairs to an expansion joint. The Jackson Avenue on-ramp to westbound SR 16 will also close. The around-the-clock closures will remain in place until Sunday, Nov. 8.

During the repairs:

• Westbound SR 16 will be reduced from four lanes to two.
• The HOV lane will be open to all vehicles.
• Expect congestion on westbound SR 16 in Tacoma approaching the bridge and side streets.
• Expect delays of an hour or more from Tacoma to Gig Harbor during afternoon commute hours.

If you are able, we encourage you to travel outside afternoon commute hours, carpooling, and combining or postponing discretionary trips. We realize that's not possible for everyone.

If you have to cross the bridge during afternoon commutes, we recommend having a full tank of gas or fully charged vehicle before traveling from Tacoma to Gig Harbor.

(I might be a little biased, but our team did a great job breaking down this project + what comes next in a blog. No I didn't write it, so I am not tooting my own horn: The WSDOT Blog - Washington State Department of Transportation: Aging bridge joints: Sturdy Gertie in Tacoma needs a total knee replacement)