| Stachybotrys not always, but almost always | | | | Please note that all the above descriptions will |
| exhibits a circular growth pattern forming round | | | | sound wrong to a mold lab tech because the |
| colonies of about 1 inch or less to about 1 foot | | | | above are descriptions of how the mold looks |
| across approximately. Sometimes the circles are | | | | when it grows on walls. In a Petri dish the same |
| complete. | | | | mold probably does not grow in concentric circles |
| Other times, the circles are incomplete and form | | | | and it looks more fuzzy and may start out |
| semi circles or crescent moon shapes when one | | | | whitish, and it turns black later as it produces |
| side of the colony grows but the other side does | | | | spores. In Identifying Filamentous Fungi by Guy |
| not grow well, possibly due to a lack of moisture | | | | St-Germain and Richard Summerbell the mold |
| or competition with other mold types on the | | | | growing in a petri dish can be white, pink, orange, |
| weaker growing side of the colony. Also, the mold | | | | or black on the surface; bottom of the colony |
| often forms concentric circles of one circle inside | | | | can be pale, orange, pink or black. |
| another circle. When this or most molds grows in | | | | Stachybotrys requires high-cellulose, low-nitrogen |
| areas where building materials have been very | | | | food source, such as drywall or cardboard and |
| wet for an extended period of time, such as | | | | very soaking wet conditions for an extended |
| months as opposed to days or just a few | | | | period of time. It is a slow grower. I have seen |
| weeks, then the colonies grow into each other | | | | thousands of Stachybotrys colonies and have |
| this is referred to as confluent growth and the | | | | never seen it growing on metal objects, air |
| circles are not longer distinguishable and all you | | | | conditioning ducts, or clothes. Its most common |
| see is irregular black patches of mold growth on | | | | habitats in homes appears to be on the underside |
| the wall. | | | | of wet carpets, or the bottom of wet cardboard |
| Stachybotrys is an extremely dark black mold. It | | | | boxes or other papers, or on the surface of |
| is often reported to be shiny or slimy in | | | | drywall materials. When it grows on drywall, it is |
| appearance, however, from personal experience, | | | | actually growing on the thin paper that coats both |
| this is only true when the mold is wet. When it is | | | | surfaces of the drywall. |
| dry, it can be very dark black and powdery. | | | | |