What are these?

[sphell]

I always get these little brown or tan coloured dots on my car's paint, I'm just wondering what they are?

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Washing alone doesn't get them off. You can scratch them off with your fingernail but that instills very small scratches in the paint.

The car is parked out in the open and clear of any trees.

Any ideas?

[CDot]

If it's like the little brown dots that aren't taken off in the wash, but can be flicked/scraped off with a fingernail (and leave a little light mark that can be cleaned off)--it's Artillery Fungus. It's very common "wood-rotting/wood decay" fungus that often lives in mulched areas. My wife's car sits in the driveway near our mulched front lawn and her cars gets decorated during the warmer months. It's name comes from the fact that the spores are actively shot out of the fruiting body and can be carried on the wind. Very common on the east coast.

Arillery Fungus-FAQ (http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/d/d/ddd2/)

[sphell]

Hi thanks for the reply, I looked into artillery fungus and I'm not completely convinced that is what it is. These dots don't have a hard "cap" like artillery fungus and they are tan in colour, not black. Not to mention that we have no plants/mulch in our front yard (it's a new house with just dry clay where the garden beds should be). I am convinced it's from an airborne source though. Is it possible it's insect droppings?

[Znig22]

If it's like the little brown dots that aren't taken off in the wash, but can be flicked/scraped off with a fingernail (and leave a little light mark that can be cleaned off)--it's Artillery Fungus. It's very common "wood-rotting/wood decay" fungus that often lives in mulched areas. My wife's car sits in the driveway near our mulched front lawn and her cars gets decorated during the warmer months. It's name comes from the fact that the spores are actively shot out of the fruiting body and can be carried on the wind. Very common on the east coast.

Arillery Fungus-FAQ (http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/d/d/ddd2/)

What is your go to method for removing these? I have 2-3 jobs per year come in for these and I have a pretty solid, quick, and efficient way to remove them.

[BadNews]

It's bug poop. They don't come off with a wash and must be slightly scratched off. I haven't found out what bug causes it but I have seen bugs sitting on my car and leave these behind.

[sphell]

It's bug poop. They don't come off with a wash and must be slightly scratched off. I haven't found out what bug causes it but I have seen bugs sitting on my car and leave these behind.


Yeah I can easily scratch them off with my fingernail after a wash but it leaves tiny scratches in the surface of the paint (because the car is black it's more obvious). I'd love to know what bug causes it!

Is there a pre-wash product that will soften/dissolve them without eating into the wax/sealant?

[georgez]

It's bee poo.

What's behind spots on autos? - Los Angeles Times (http://articles.latimes.com/2007/oct/31/autos/hy-wheels31)

[sphell]

It's bee poo.

What's behind spots on autos? - Los Angeles Times (http://articles.latimes.com/2007/oct/31/autos/hy-wheels31)

HA! - Thanks! I now know after all this time:) Un-bee-lieveable....... :doh:

[Kamakaz1961]

Bee bombs!! They shell my Black car all the time!! Sometimes a bee will crash and burn on my car or is it a kamikaze run....who knows...they love the color Black IMO...LOL