Contents
Detailed photos, description and preparation of dung beetle mushroom will be useful to those who decide to collect truly edible fruits. After all, most representatives of the species are toxic and unsuitable for food.
Where does the dung mushroom grow
Dung beetle mushrooms belong to the genus Dung beetles, the Champignon family and are considered conditionally edible, but not all. The name translated into Latin sounds like Koprinus, so mushrooms are often called that way.
From the name it becomes clear that the fruiting body grows in manure. But it turns out that you can meet him not only there. Dung beetles settle on rotting waste, decaying sawdust and other organic debris. In spring and autumn, it can be seen in the garden, in the fields, where the dung beetle grows in groups or separately. And there is reasonable confirmation of this – dung beetles are classified as saprotrophs. This means that dead cells and decaying organic matter are needed for the growth of mycelium.
On the territory of Our Country, the mushroom can be found almost everywhere, it is absent only in the Far North. It is especially common in the middle lane. Fruiting from early May to late October.
What does a dung beetle look like
You can recognize the dung beetle by its hat, which has a characteristic conical, convex shape or a bell shape. For most representatives, it remains so at the entire stage of development. But there are mushrooms with a flat hat. Its upper part is covered with scales or flakes. The pulp of the cap is loose.
The stem of the fungus is cylindrical, smooth, hollow inside. Its flesh is fibrous.
On the underside of the cap, you can see white plates that darken when ripe. The spores are also black.
dung beetle mushroom edible or not
Dung beetle is not in vain considered conditionally edible. It depends not only on belonging to a particular species, but also on the age of the fungus. Only young fruits can be cooked, because after ripening they become toxic.
Special literature indicates that dung beetles belong to the fourth class of danger. Caps of some species are eaten exclusively until they have reached maturity. But even dishes from properly prepared dung beetles are in no way combined with alcohol. This is due to the fact that the composition of the fruiting body contains coprine, it does not allow alcohol to be absorbed, and causes severe poisoning. The most harmless thing that can happen from such a combination is indigestion.
Types of dung beetle mushrooms
As early as the beginning of the 50th century, the genus Navoznikovye included more than 25 species of fungi. But later some of them were crossed off the list. Today, no more than XNUMX varieties belong to this family. Of these, only a few can be prepared.
poisonous dung beetle mushrooms
In order to recognize toxic dung beetle mushrooms and not accidentally put them in the basket, you need to familiarize yourself with the photo and description of the fruit before going to the forest.
A prominent representative of poisonous mushrooms is the snow-white dung beetle, it should not be confused with white. The hat has a characteristic ovoid shape, very small, no more than 3 cm in diameter. After maturation, it takes the form of a bell. The skin is pure white and densely covered with powdery mildew. When pressed, it can be easily erased. The plates are gray on the underside, becoming black as they mature. The leg is very thin, high, about 8 cm. Powdery coating is present along the entire length.
The fungus is common in grazing areas, grows in or near manure. Appears in mid-summer and continues to breed until autumn.
Among the poisonous mushrooms, the fluffy dung beetle is also known. Outwardly, it looks like a spindle. The cap is up to 4 cm long, about 2 cm in diameter. However, only a young fruit looks like this, after two days the cap opens and takes on the shape of a bell. The skin becomes dark olive, but its entire surface is covered with white flakes. From a distance it may seem that the hat is completely white. The leg of the fluffy dung beetle is thin and long, about 8 cm. The flesh is brittle, quickly collapses and becomes black.
You can meet this variety in old plantings, where there are a lot of rotten trees. The representative feeds on decaying foliage. It can be found in places of processing and storage of manure. Actively grows in the summer-autumn period.
The dung beetle can be identified by its bell-shaped hat. In an adult mushroom, it takes the form of an umbrella. Diameter – no more than 5 cm. The dung beetle is painted in yellow-brown tones. The entire surface of the cap is covered with small white scales, more like dots. The flesh of the fruit is elastic, light, does not smell. Leg long, white. On the underside, white wide plates are visible, which later turn black.
It is impossible to meet this representative in the forest, therefore it has such a name. Appears in old houses, where it is very damp, on rotten wood and stumps. Does not grow in open areas. It breeds only in summer, in autumn its number decreases.
The motley or woodpecker dung beetle is distinguished by an elongated ovoid hat up to 10 cm in diameter. The surface is dark, almost black, but completely covered with white spots. The flesh is light, smells bad and sharp, very fragile. The leg can grow up to 30 cm. The plates of young representatives are pink, after which they turn black.
The fungus is common in dry and shady forests, where there is a lot of rotting wood. Woodpecker dung beetle grows well on fertile lands. The fruits appear from late August to November. They are classified as hallucinogenic.
The scattered dung beetle looks more like a jellyfish. The skin is velvety, pleasant cream color. The pulp is absent, there is no smell either. The hat is held on a short thin stem, which becomes gray in color. The plates are convex, often black.
The species grows only in conditions of high humidity, if it is not there, it completely stops development until the mycelium disappears. You can meet on the stumps, they are almost completely covered with dung beetle. They appear from early spring to autumn. Edibility has not been established.
The hay dung beetle has a bell-shaped hat, which is painted in a pleasant brown color. It rests on a thin wavy leg. The pulp is light. The plates are brown.
This variety prefers fertile but loose soil. Dung beetles grow in groups, often found on the lawn, in fields or meadows. Massively they can be seen not only in autumn, but also in summer, because under suitable conditions, the mycelium does not stop growing. They do not eat, as the fruits cause hallucinations, mental disorders, paranoia, and have a depressing effect on the central nervous system.
The folded dung beetle is distinguished by a yellowish hat, which acquires a lighter shade with age. Mature plates are open, young – adherent to the leg, light. The mushroom resembles an umbrella. The surface of the cap is all in folds, the diameter is up to 3 cm. The leg is thin, medium in size, fragile.
There is a representative along the roads, in the meadows, in the steppes. The life cycle is short, fruiting from May to October. The fruit is destroyed 12 hours after the appearance. They do not eat, the mushroom is almost impossible to meet.
edible dung beetles
Among the edible dung beetles, there are very few mushrooms that can be fried, boiled and eaten. There are only two types of them:
- white;
- Gray.
White dung beetle has a pleasant taste, but only when young. It is impossible to store the fruit for a long time, it quickly collapses. Outwardly, it can be distinguished by characteristic features. The hat is white, uneven, covered with scales. At a young age, it is more like a spindle, but later opens up. White plates are visible from below. The stem of the mushroom is thin and high, up to 10 cm.
The distribution area is wide. It is found along roads, in gardens, kitchen gardens, fields. Grows from spring to autumn.
Gray dung beetle is sweet in taste, it is boiled before cooking. The cap of the mushroom is gray, covered with scales, rests on a short thin stalk.
Found everywhere from early spring to autumn. It grows in groups, can be found near compost heaps, in humid forests.
The remaining varieties can be attributed to conditionally edible dung beetles. They break down quickly and should be eaten almost immediately after being harvested. These are the dung beetles:
- Romagnesi;
- ordinary;
- flickering.
The Romanesi dung beetle is distinguished by its umbrella-shaped hat with rounded edges. It is small, about 6 cm in diameter. The skin is beige, covered with scales. There is almost no pulp, most of it is white plates. Leg of medium thickness, grayish tint.
A representative grows in groups, found in cool areas. Settles on rotting wood. Grows in parks, fields, gardens. Fruits abundantly in early spring and autumn. In summer, it can only be found in the Northern regions. Only young hats with light plates are prepared.
The common dung beetle has an elliptical-shaped hat, it is completely covered with furrows, painted in a gray tint. The edges of the cap are wavy, torn. The pulp is odorless, young plates are white. Leg inclined, medium size.
The mushroom grows singly on fertile soil. After the rains, it can be found in landfills, in forests, parks. Appears from spring to autumn. You need to cook as soon as possible, the fruits are not stored.
The shimmering dung beetle looks beautiful, you can use it at a young age. Its egg-shaped hat is light brown in color, covered with small furrows. Its edges are torn and wavy. The white pulp is sour in taste, brittle, does not smell. The leg is thin, of medium length, brown below, but the main color is white. The plates are also brown at first, later becoming black.
The twinkling dung beetles grow in clusters like honey mushrooms. Settle only on dry wood. You can meet them in parks, squares, dense forests. However, they do not grow on the remains of coniferous trees, so they do not exist in pine forests. Fruiting from spring to late autumn.
Taste qualities of mushrooms
Freshly prepared dung beetle mushrooms do not have a pronounced taste. Some types are well marinated, they become sweet. They are often used in simple recipes.
Benefits and harm to the body
Dung edible mushroom, properly collected and cooked, is of great benefit to the body. It contains:
- cellulose;
- vitamins of group B;
- amino acids;
- trace elements.
They are recommended to be eaten by diabetics, as these mushrooms have a hypoglycemic effect. In folk medicine, they are used to treat diseases of the prostate gland, increase immunity. Ointments are prepared from malignant dermatitis and ulcers from dung beetle. Water infusion is recommended to improve digestion and as an expectorant.
However, even edible species can be harmful if they were collected in the wrong place and stored improperly. They cause poisoning, as they absorb salts of heavy metals and all harmful substances from the soil on which they grew.
Mushroom dung beetle from alcoholism
As already mentioned, the dung beetle mushroom is incompatible with alcoholic beverages, so it is popularly used to treat alcoholism. According to reviews, the daily intake of a small amount of a forest product causes a strong aversion to alcohol. This was also noticed by pharmaceutical companies, which, based on coprinus, began to produce pills for the treatment of drinking binges.
However, not all types of dung beetle can be used for treatment. Suitable only gray and shimmery.
Rules for collecting dung beetles
Even edible dung beetles can cause undesirable effects, so they need to be collected when they are young. In a mature mushroom, the hat unfolds, which indicates its age. You don’t need to touch them. Cut only dense, clean and light fruits.
It is worth considering the place where the dung beetles grow. It does not matter if they are eaten or used for medicinal purposes, forest fruits that grow in grass or on wood should be preferred. It is better to refuse collection in:
- manure heaps;
- compost pit;
- city dumps;
- grazing area;
- by the roads.
How to cook dung beetle mushroom
Dung beetle mushrooms must be cooked in the first 2 hours after harvest, otherwise they will turn into slime. Only fast processing is used, having previously cleaned the leg and removed the film from the cap. Before cooking, the fruits are sorted out, all suspicious or with pink plates are thrown away.
Dung beetle mushrooms are usually fried, boiled and pickled. There are several simple cooking recipes:
- Stewed in sour cream. To do this, boil the mushrooms in salted water for 30 minutes. After that, stew in sour cream over low heat, seasoned with pepper. At the end, you can add fried onions and herbs.
- Omelet with cheese. To do this, dung beetles need to be fried until golden brown, pour over the egg-milk mixture, fry for another 10 minutes. At the end of cooking, sprinkle the omelette with grated cheese.
- Noodle soup. Mushrooms pre-boil 30 minutes. After that, fry with carrots and onions in butter. Put potatoes in the broth, fry and cook for 10 minutes, then add the noodles. Cook until cooked, sprinkle with herbs.
It should be borne in mind that it is impossible to cook dung beetles with other mushrooms, so recipes with one type are chosen.
Conclusion
Photos, descriptions and preparation of dung beetle mushroom will help those who decide to taste a rare fruit. To avoid poisoning, you must follow all recommendations for collection and storage, and discard suspicious specimens. It is better to use dung beetle for traditional medicine after consulting a doctor.
