White stringy stuff in compost

Since my subscription ran out, I can't post in the soil/compost forum, so hopefully someone here can help me.

A year ago I tossed a bunch of shredded leaves, soil, and uncooked veggies, coffee grounds, and lots of other compostable things into a pile in the backyard. I watered and turned through the warm months and the pile went from being 3 feet by 3 feet to now 3 feet by 6 inches. The compost looks good, however, there are some very white balls with long stringy roots in it. Some of them are as big as a marshmallow, while some are the size of a cotton ball, and some are marble size. Attached to each ball are long white stringy roots. I have seen these same stringy white roots under my wood chip mulch and shredded mulch in the gardens after it has been there awhile.

I figured it was a type of fungi, but can't find any info on it anywhere. I am hoping someone here can identify it from the pictures I took.

Other than just being curious as to what it is, I want to know if it is good or bad.

Thanks!

Those are puffball mushrooms. As they mature, a hole will open in the top to release the spores. They're harmless and are simply helping to break down organic matter in your compost.

You have Mushroom fungus sprouting in the warm heap. either Riddle / sieve the compost as you use it, Make sure you use gloves unless you know which type of fugus / Mushrooms you have.
Hope this helps.
Good Luck,
WeeNel.

There's no need to take any special precautions with your compost! Just don't eat the mushrooms unless you can positively identify them... simple.

The long string bits are the Spores, unless you want your garden overtaken with mushrooms, get rid, the spores creep along the soil just under the surface, they are NOT all poisonous BUT until you know that, you need to take care when handling the mushrooms AND the stringy bits.
If you can get them named or a positive result assuring you they are safe, then by all means, keep them growing BUT, remember they know no boundaries wild or cultivated and over several years ask yourself, do the neighbours really want mushrooms sprouting all over their garden, maybe their pets or kids could come to harm.
Please don't run away with the thoughts I'm trying to cause alarm, I'm just stressing, get the spawning mushrooms identified as even touching some wild types once by hand can give a nasty reaction, on the other hand, you might be able to have many, many nice Mushroom omelets for free, with weekend breakfasts Yum, Yum.
Good luck.
Kindest Regards.
WeeNel.

Puffballs, if you burst one, be wearing a mask over face and mouth so the spores do not enter your lungs- poisonous or not. Reminds me of stinkhorns.

The "long string bits" are not the spores - they are mycelium, the underground portion of the fungus. The puffball - the white ball you see above the ground surface - is the fruiting body which opens when mature to release spores. Spores are dust-like

SavvyDaze, you can simply do an internet search on fungus, or virtually any other subject, to get reliable information.