Hi, does anyone have any advice about the best weather conditions for finding Amanita's? I searched a number of forest areas without success and I was wondering if it's due to the excessive rain we have had lately. I live in Wales, which is on the west of the British Isles.
Thanks
Raven
Foraging
Re: Foraging
I think the season's good, in the northern hemisphere. Rain rather encourages them, though I suspect they don't last as long when it's wet. Here in a part of the North American west coast with somewhat similar weather - though I think much drier summers - we see them for several months, though I reckon the bulk of it's done by now.
But where there's none, there's none. They have a clear preference for certain types of trees. The great majority of what I picked up this fall was in a row of birches, but occasionally I've found them with pines. And there are some other potential symbiotic partner trees. I have spent only a little time looking for them in any kind of bona fide forest, but where I've actually seen them hasn't been any kind of forest at all. All in city parks and "green belt" areas, and in people's gardens. The naturally present tree species here - Douglas fir, big leaf maple, western hemlock, madrona, red alder, black cottonwood - aren't notable for fly agaric association.
But where there's none, there's none. They have a clear preference for certain types of trees. The great majority of what I picked up this fall was in a row of birches, but occasionally I've found them with pines. And there are some other potential symbiotic partner trees. I have spent only a little time looking for them in any kind of bona fide forest, but where I've actually seen them hasn't been any kind of forest at all. All in city parks and "green belt" areas, and in people's gardens. The naturally present tree species here - Douglas fir, big leaf maple, western hemlock, madrona, red alder, black cottonwood - aren't notable for fly agaric association.
Re: Foraging
Best weather conditions is after it has rained when they begin to pop up again. You will have to take into consideration how long it takes for them to grow to maturity though - something I haven't worked out yet, but I think it is about two to three days before they are ripe for picking, though I might be wrong. Sometimes it is a difficult decision to pick or not to pick an unripe Amanita because it could always be picked by someone else or eaten by an animal by the time you can get to it again.
Where I live we had loads of rain too about a couple of weeks ago. I got to the woods much too late - the majority of Amanitas were a bit washed out and had lost their deep redness.
I first spotted Amanitas this year at the beginning of September, hiding under some ferns, which surprised me for I thought it was far too early and also warm. They where absolutely huge, about eight inches diameter, but the Amanitas have been getting smaller as the weeks go by. They must have started to grow in late August though, before I found them in September.
Today I didn't find any though, because it has been dry for a few days now, and all the ones that were around have been picked by me (and at least one other unknown person).
I'm looking forward to some more rain, but I think they will all be the small ones from now on. Last year I didn't find any more once December came around.
Rebis.
Where I live we had loads of rain too about a couple of weeks ago. I got to the woods much too late - the majority of Amanitas were a bit washed out and had lost their deep redness.
I first spotted Amanitas this year at the beginning of September, hiding under some ferns, which surprised me for I thought it was far too early and also warm. They where absolutely huge, about eight inches diameter, but the Amanitas have been getting smaller as the weeks go by. They must have started to grow in late August though, before I found them in September.
Today I didn't find any though, because it has been dry for a few days now, and all the ones that were around have been picked by me (and at least one other unknown person).
I'm looking forward to some more rain, but I think they will all be the small ones from now on. Last year I didn't find any more once December came around.
Rebis.