Hunting ceps and badius

sarah64 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 06:20 AM

Hi guys
Jon had his day off yesterday so I decided to take the morning off and we went out on the hunt for ceps and boletus badius. We went to a place that was just up the road from where John Wright was conducting a foray (@ £15 a head). We were excited and thought we were going to get a basketful today. Well guess what, we found about 3 or 4 boletus badius and that was about it. I wonder how John Wright faired up the road.

Oh apart from Jon found our first Plums & Custard, which was quite exciting. What a lovely looking mushroom that is. The colour on the gillside is beautiful. And then about 15 minutes later we found another 2 small ones growing on a chopped tree trunk.

Anyway, back to the grindstone today.

NickCantle · #2 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 06:59 AM

Never mind Sarah, you've just got to keep looking!

Re: Tricholomopsis rutilans- it is a stunning species.

PeteS · #3 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 01:54 PM

I had a look around yesterday morning at a very good spot for Bolutus edulis etc. and found nothing. Infact, given the time of year not much in the way of fungi at all. What surprised me is that the recent rains had not done much - most of the fungi were there before it rained (they had got bigger) and there was very little that was new. There was actually more fungi about, much more in certain cases, in July and August.

PeteS · #4 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 02:09 PM

Oh, the only significant fungus that I saw starting to fruit was Amanita muscaria - lots of them.

Stewy · #5 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteS

Oh, the only significant fungus that I saw starting to fruit was Amanita muscaria - lots of them.

Only seen a couple of Fly Agarics so far this year, interestingly in both of the good years for Ceps for me were '05 & '06 there were loads of them. Last year there were hardly any Fly's and hardly any Ceps the same as this year so far, not sure if there is any connection though.

sarah64 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteS

I had a look around yesterday morning at a very good spot for Bolutus edulis etc. and found nothing. Infact, given the time of year not much in the way of fungi at all. What surprised me is that the recent rains had not done much - most of the fungi were there before it rained (they had got bigger) and there was very little that was new. There was actually more fungi about, much more in certain cases, in July and August.

Yes you're right Pete. Perhaps we'll get more about later this month (she says hopefully). Jon and I have started noticing more fly agarics starting to pop up too so don't despair Stewy, hopefully you'll start to see them popping up too in your neck of the woods!

So I've heard on this forum more than once that mushrooms are likely to pop up approx. 10 days after rain. What do you reckon to this?

(OMG got a 'popping' theme going on here, sorry guys

)

Funky_Porcine · #7 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 03:35 PM

This last week I've not seen a single Penny Bun in my spots. Was hoping to add a few more to my collection.

Will try again next week.

Hundreds of Fly Agarics tho. Wish I'd got my camera with me when i saw them.

PeteS · #8 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarah64

Yes you're right Pete. Perhaps we'll get more about later this month (she says hopefully). Jon and I have started noticing more fly agarics starting to pop up too so don't despair Stewy, hopefully you'll start to see them popping up too in your neck of the woods!

So I've heard on this forum more than once that mushrooms are likely to pop up approx. 10 days after rain. What do you reckon to this?

(OMG got a 'popping' theme going on here, sorry guys

)

Most of the Fly Agarics that I saw yesterday had come up since the rain, and some had got to quite a size within a few days. Normally, at this time of year and after rain, I see a lot more fungi. Most are small, but they can fruit to a visible size in a day or two after rain. This time there was very little which makes me think nothing much is coming.

I think the 10 day thing is just gerneral, especially for edible fungi - it's the approximate time that they take to grow to a size that's worth picking. I know that Wood Blewits appear (well in my patch anyway) approx 10 days after the first real frost. But "appear" really means "decent size".

NickCantle · #9 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stewy

Only seen a couple of Fly Agarics so far this year, interestingly in both of the good years for Ceps for me were '05 & '06 there were loads of them. Last year there were hardly any Fly's and hardly any Ceps the same as this year so far, not sure if there is any connection though.

There is a connection between A. muscaria and B. edulis, but it's mainly to do with the habitat- Sandy soil, Birch/Pine woods with moss.

sarah64 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickCantle

There is a connection between A. muscaria and B. edulis, but it's mainly to do with the habitat- Sandy soil, Birch/Pine woods with moss.

Where Jon and I went yesterday, there was lovely moss. Its mental really we've been to this place loads but have never gone over the fence, we've always stuck to the path. I reckon its a good spot though and worth visiting again its the sort of habitat you describe Nick. Don't get me wrong its not an off limits zone, its just that the path is fenced.