If you've taken a stroll outside in the last week or so, chances are you spotted a mushroom or two. Chime In has been inundated with a plethora of fungi photos captured across West Michigan in the last week.
12 of the first 15 days of October featured at least a little bit of rainfall in the Kalamazoo area. Keith Langdon, a state certified mushroom expert, said the weather has been great for mushrooms to develop.
"The last few weeks of rain has definitely led to an explosion of fall mushrooms," Langdon said. While morel mushrooms get a lot of attention in the springtime, Langdon said there are actually more edible mushrooms that pop up during the fall.
- More on morels: When the season arrives plus hunting tips
The abundance, however, requires foragers to use extreme caution in order to be confident that what they pick is able to be consumed. Several species are dangerous, and a few can even kill you, according to the National Capital Poison Center.
This adage is a good one to remember:
There are old mushroom hunters, and there are bold mushroom hunters. There are no old, bold mushroom hunters.
"If you're not 100% sure it is better to toss it out," Langdon said. He recommended reaching out to someone knowledgeable to help identify any mushroom you're curious about.
If taking a photo to later identify the mushroom, close up shots of the gills, stem, cap, a cross section and area found all can help best determine what mushroom you've found.
If you take a stroll through the woods to go mushroom hunting, be sure to watch out for poison ivy and wear insect repellant.
If you spot a funky looking fungi, be sure you snap a picture and send it out way!
Related:
Follow Meteorologist Will Haenni on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram. Have a weather, science or outdoors related story idea? Email Will at wchaenni@sbgtv.com.