The biologist spoke about the risks of spring mushroom picking

Spring mushroom picking is associated with increased risks due to common misconceptions and incorrect identification of species. Roman Oparin, Associate Professor of the Department of General Biology and Bioecology at the State University of Education, told Izvestia about this on April 1.

According to him, one of the most common mistakes of novice mushroom pickers is the belief that in the spring there are almost no poisonous mushrooms or they are easy to distinguish by their appearance. Also, "folk" testing methods are still used, for example, by the reaction of silver or the behavior of insects, but such methods have no scientific confirmation and do not allow to determine the safety of mushrooms.

"The early morel mushrooms and stitches, which have an atypical shape, are particularly difficult. The morels are completely hollow inside, whereas the stitches have a sinuous "brain-shaped" cap and a chambered structure. At the same time, the stitches require more thorough heat treatment. In case of any doubt, mushroom picking should be abandoned," Oparin stressed.

He also reminded that it is not recommended to collect mushrooms near roads and in the urban environment, as they are capable of accumulating heavy metals and harmful substances from the environment. Among the basic rules for safe collection, the expert highlighted the choice of only well-known species, the use of ventilated containers, careful collection without damaging the mycelium and the rejection of old or damaged specimens.

In addition, Oparin drew attention to the changes in the timing of the "mushroom hunt". According to him, in recent years, spring mushrooms in central Russia appear one to two weeks earlier, and the season itself is becoming less stable due to temperature fluctuations and changes in precipitation.

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On March 13, Ivan Melnikov, Vice-president of the Russian division of the International Committee for the Protection of Human Rights, told which plants and mushrooms are considered a crime to disrupt. Especially valuable, for example, are lilies of the valley and snowdrops. The list of rare species also includes some mushrooms: crumbling fly agaric, fragrant cobweb, Nebrodi oyster mushroom, summer truffle, floccose mushroom, chased mushroom and root-loving tinder. Criminal liability may arise if such plants or fungi are plucked from a specially protected area — in a nature reserve or national park — or are collected en masse for subsequent sale.

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