I’ve been on a few mushroom forays recently. The advice is clear: if you’re in California (especially north and central coast) do not put any wild mushrooms in your mouth especially this year
We have many lookalikes that look ‘safe’. More than 40 people have been poisoned, 3-4 dead, since Nov. many of them immigrants who are misled by some of our deathly mushrooms looking exactly the same as the ones they know
@Shunra the field guides and local experts are saying not to eat anything at all this year
Most people who have been poisoned are immigrants who are not part of any local mycology club or group and mistake it for the mushrooms they like back home
@skinnylatte are experts saying there's something different about the mushrooms? or are they just assuming identification will be mishandled?
I ask because I was planning to forage agin this year (as I've done, local field-guides in hand, for more than 40 years. I'll avoid it if there's something in the environment that merits such a change.)
@Shunra there’s a theory that we are having more toxic mushrooms than usual because of the heavier rains recently
Mycology groups are saying it’s pretty unusual and really don’t recommend it
Also now state advice
Adrianna Tan
Dena