the latticed red cage that reeks to attract flies

Size
Width: 10–15 cm
Lifespan
3–7 days
Diet
Saprotrophic: feeds on decaying organic matter in gardens mulch and wood chips. Emerges from white egg-like structure. Foul smell attracts flies that disperse spores.
Habitat
Gardens mulch wood chips and disturbed ground. Prefers rich organic soils where moisture is retained and decomposition is active.
Range
Throughout New Zealand in gardens mulch and disturbed ground. Most common in North Island but spreading south into cooler regions.
Endemism
Introduced
Main Threats
No significant conservation threats. Common and widespread. Not affected by habitat loss or environmental changes in urban areas.
Population
Populations are considered stable and widespread. Common in gardens and mulch throughout New Zealand. Not considered threatened by any current factors.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Something is rotting in the garden. That is the first sign. The Red Cage Stinkhorn does not hide. It emerges from a white, egg-like structure. It pushes through mulch and wood chips like something that should not exist. The fruiting body is a lattice. A cage. It is a hollow, red, web-like sphere. It looks like it belongs on a coral reef. It does not belong in a suburban garden. Yet there it is. The smell is the real story. It is foul. It is carrion-like. It smells like something died last week and the neighbours have not noticed. Flies love it. They land on the red lattice. They pick up sticky brown spores on their legs and mouths. Then they fly away. They spread the fungus to new piles of mulch. The strategy is simple. It is not about beauty. It is not about stealth. It is pure, overwhelming stench. The odour does the work. The white egg stage is the only time it looks innocent. It is a small, pale sphere half-buried in the ground. It resembles a forgotten ping-pong ball. Then it bursts. The red arms unfurl. The smell begins. The transformation is rapid. The innocence is lost. The purpose is revealed. It is not edible. The smell alone is enough to deter anyone with a functioning nose. Some people have tried to eat it. They do not try twice. The experience is memorable for the wrong reasons. The taste matches the scent. The texture offers no redemption. It grows in gardens. It thrives on wood chip mulch. It favours places where organic matter stays damp. It is common in the North Island. It is spreading south. It is a garden curiosity. Visitors either love it or hate it. There is little middle ground. The visual impact is striking. The olfactory impact is devastating. The Maori name is not recorded for this species. It arrived from Europe. It probably came in imported soil or plants. It is a new arrival. It is making itself at home. It does not ask permission. It simply appears. The lack of traditional knowledge reflects its recent introduction. It has no place in ancestral stories. It belongs to the modern garden. The red cage lasts a few days. Then it collapses. It melts back into the mulch. It returns its nutrients to the soil. The smell fades. The flies move on. And somewhere, in the dark, another white egg is forming. The cycle continues. The garden holds its breath. Then it exhales. No one told it otherwise.