Strange fungus

5741  Hi there.  This “nest” is inside a cottage in Haliburton ontario, any idea what it could be?   Patti

I have never seen anything quite like this before; it does not look like any insect or spider ‘nest’/egg sac or cocoon that I am familiar with. It is possible that it might be a fungal/fungus-like growth of some kind – see http://tinyurl.com/zns3y73 for an example (slime mould). Try cutting into it very carefully with a sharp knife to see what the interior looks like. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.