Fungal Foray

We recently held our annual fungal foray and barbecue here at Gibside which as usual was very popular and fully booked.  The recent spells of rain led to an increase in the number of  fungi appearing following what had till then been a rather slow year.  On the day a total of fifty six different species were identified in a range of shapes and colours.

Yellow stagshorn Calocera viscosa

Pink waxcap Hygrocybe calyptriformis

Chanterelle Cantharellus cibarius

Amethyst deceiver Laccaria amethystina

Blackening waxcap Hygrocybe conica

Common puffball Lycoperdon perlatum

Fly agaric Amanita muscaria

The foray was followed by a barbecue which included the delicious 'hedgehog fungus' brought in by one of our rangers.