Annual 'fruiting'?

[sometimes]

Not at all sure of my terminology, but does fungi do the mushroom/toadstool thing at the same time every year? ie, I found some really good patches of fungi last year, if I return at the same time(ish) will I find them there again.

Secondary question - is there some sort of time scale for a fungus to put up it's 'rooms/'stools? I presume they don't just pop up over night (or do they). If I see some 'young', just forming fruiting and want to see the prime, do I return in one day , two, a fortnight?

I'm not into picking them, but I'm a keen photographer and would like to 'revisit' some images I took last year.

Cheers

[flaxton]

Hi
Fungi fruits when it has built up enough reserves during the summer and then receives a "trigger" to say it is now time (with a lot of fungi this is as we start to get a drop in temperature). To answer your question as a general rule yes fungi appear at about the same time each year and some will appear in the same spot. Unfortunately that is quite a generalisation. If the growing conditions during the year have not allowed it to build up enough reserves it may not produce a fruit-body, if the weather conditions in the autumn are not right it may not produce a fruit-body or it may produce it weeks early or weeks later.

How quickly do they develop? Some of the small delicate coprinus (ink caps)do literally appear overnight and may be gone by the next day but others will take days or even weeks to reach maturity.

Mal

[sometimes]

Thanks for the quick feeback, just the job. There's nothing worse than a 'wasted' trip - ie objective not met because of ignorance. At least now I can make a considered decision. I may visit later today, depends if the light improves
Cheers