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Paneolus moth (bell-shaped asshole, paneolus bellflower, moth dung beetle) is a dangerous hallucinogenic mushroom of the Dung beetle family. Representatives of this group prefer moist fertile soil and feed on the remains of wood. The variety is inedible due to the harmful substances that are contained in its pulp.
What does paneolus moth look like
Paneolus mothus is an agaric fungus. Its fruiting body has a distinct upper and lower part.
Cap Description
The upper part has dimensions from 1,5 to 4 cm. The shape is conical, in the process of growth it becomes bell-shaped. The edges are bent inward, then straightened. On the hat are parts of the bedspread. They are white in color and torn in shape. In an adult paneolus, they are visible oil.
The hat is dry, with a flat surface. After rains it becomes sticky. The surface is brown with an olive and gray tint. In adults, it is lighter. The tip often has a yellowish or reddish undertone.
The flesh is thin, the color is gray or brown. There is no smell. The plates are wide, narrow, pale gray. They adhere to the stem, but can separate from it. The edges are light, sometimes blackening with age.
Description of the leg
The stem is thin and long. Its thickness is from 2 to 4 cm. The length reaches 7-13 cm. The inner part is hollow, the flesh is thin, easily broken. The thickness is the same, sometimes there is an extension at the top or bottom. The leg is striped, young mushrooms have a whitish coating. The main color is grey-brown. When pressed, the flesh darkens.
Where and how to grow
Paneolus moth is found in pastures, forest edges and meadows. Prefers rotten grass or wood. It is often found in cow or horse dung. It grows in large groups, sometimes single specimens are found.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
The variety is included in the inedible group. It is not recommended to eat it in any form. The pulp contains psilocybin, a substance with hallucinogenic properties.
Twins and their differences
Outwardly, the moth paneolus is similar to different types of mushrooms:
- Paneolus semiovoid. Another representative of the Navoznikov family. Information about edibility is contradictory, but in many sources it is classified as hallucinogenic. The main features are a light color and a ring on the leg.
- The dung beetle is white. An unusual variety with an elongated hat up to 20 cm high and up to 10 cm in diameter. Its shape is elongated ovoid, white or gray in color. The height of the fruiting body is up to 35 cm. Young specimens are conditionally edible, in which the plates are not colored. In Western Europe, dung beetle is considered a delicacy.
- False frond Candoll. Conditionally edible double, which is allowed to be consumed after heat treatment. The apex is bell-shaped, ranging in size from 3 to 8 cm. The edges are wavy, the color is yellowish or cream. The flesh is thin and fragile. There is a thickening in the lower part of the fruiting body.
Conclusion
Paneolus moth contains hallucinogenic substances and is dangerous to human health. The fruiting body has a number of features by which it is distinguished from twins. Most of them are poisonous or conditionally edible.
