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Photo: Mechéal Wickham
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UK
Safari Tip:
A neat way to identify fungi is with the ID chart in the Nature Shop
called "Fungi Name Trail" - click
here
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Latin name: Amanita muscaria
Size: The cap measures up to 25cms across.
Distribution: Found throughout the UK.
Months seen: September to November.
Habitat: Often found in pine woodlands, and also around the base of birch trees.
Special features: The fly agaric has tiny, hair-like roots which attach themselves to tree roots. In this way the toadstool can siphon off some of the nutrients from the tree. This does not seem to damage the tree in any way.
The caps are round when young, and become flat as they mature. The white spots drop off with age.
The fly agaric is poisonous. It is known to cause hallucinations, violent stomach upsets, uncontrollable muscle spasms and could be fatal.
It has been used as a fly killer - hence the name. Small pieces of the fungi
were added to a saucer of milk. Flies came to feed from the saucer and were
killed.
Did You Know?
The name 'Toadstool' might make you think that toadstools got their name from being a piece of amphibian furniture, but in fact
'toad-stuhl' is a German name, which means seat of death!
UK Safari Fungi Section
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