Mushroom hunting: How to avoid costly mistakes in the forest

The mushroom season is gradually ending, so it's high time to prepare a small knife, basket, and wellies. A walk in the forest aids the development of observation skills. When you discover this mushroom, grab your camera and take a picture. Do not bring it home, as this could result in quite a hefty fine. It is easy to mistake it for an edible mushroom, but a simple trick will allow you to distinguish between them.

Even experienced mushroom pickers can make mistakes, so it is worth staying vigilant when collecting forest treasures and never putting specimens in the basket unless we are absolutely sure of them. This is the primary and most important rule that must always be followed.

During forest walks, with some luck, you might come across scarletina bolete. Some people immediately consider it a poisonous mushroom due to its colour. Its cap, with a suede surface, ranges in colour from brown to dark red, and the tubes beneath the cap are an intense red colour. The mushroom's stem is yellow and covered with red tufts, giving it a unique appearance. It is called the aristocrat among mushrooms, which is quite fitting because finding it is challenging.

It is considered a summer mushroom because it most often appears from May to October. It is most commonly found in coniferous forests, especially under spruces and firs. The peak season is late August and early September. It is a delicious and valued mushroom in the kitchen but needs to be properly processed.

A mushroom similar to the scarletina bolete is Boletus satanas. At first glance, they look identical, but before you enthusiastically take such a rare specimen home, pay attention to the details.

First, check the colour of the pores beneath the cap – for the Boletus erythropus, they are brick red (as the name suggests) and for the satanic bolete, more yellowish. Additionally, the satanic bolete has a characteristic net on the stem, which the erythropus does not have.

The characteristic feature of the scarletina bolete is its rapid and intense reaction to damage. The flesh of the mushroom almost immediately turns an intense blue colour. In the case of the satanic bolete, the bruising is much weaker and occurs more slowly.

- An inexperienced mushroom picker has about as much chance of finding the Boletus satanas as winning a million in the lottery. Boletus satanas are not common; they grow in specific environments. The Boletus erythropus mainly grows in coniferous forests, where you will not find the satanic bolete - emphasises mycologist in an interview with Interia.

Remember also that the satanic bolete is very rare and protected, so if you come across it, it is best to take a picture and leave it alone. It is always worth using verified mushroom atlases and consulting your findings with an expert at the health department if you have any doubts.

The above descriptions are for orientation purposes only and cannot be used for independent, specific identification of mushroom species. The differences between individual species can be subtle and require experience and specialised knowledge.