Happy Fungus Friday, here’s a super satisfying compilation of tapping and picking mushrooms. This is intended as a relaxing ASMR-type video of mushroom picking. . I tap the mushrooms for many reasons. First and foremost is that I like the sounds they make, each mushroom has a particular tone that corresponds to the specific species and maturity of the fruiting body. It is also effective for knocking off bugs and dirt before picking and helps to spread the spores (especially important if I am harvesting the mushroom to take home and eat). . This video features both edible and non-edible species. For the edible mushrooms, I take them home and cook them as food (see my UToob for recipes). For the non-edible mushrooms, I leave them in place to continue spreading their spores. . In this video I am picking mycorrhizal mushrooms directly from the ground. In a comprehensive 30 year study (“Mushroom picking does not impair future harvests” Egli, et al., 2006) , it was demonstrated that there was no statistical or significant difference between cutting mushrooms with a knife vs. picking like I do here in the video. For context, I do specifically cut some mushrooms when harvesting (like morels and polypores), but for most mushrooms it just doesn’t matter. I do trim the bottom of the stem back onto the forest floor before placing the mushroom into basket. I also do my absolute best to leave the forest floor undisturbed and pick up trash whenever I see it. Sustainable and ethical harvesting are very important to me. I usually leave ~1/3 of the edible mushrooms I find to continue dispersing their spores and ensuring healthy mycelium for future harvests. I am all for having a respectful discourse about sustainability but if you are rude to me in the comments I will ask you to read this caption; if you continue to be rude to me, you will no longer be able to access my content. Hope y’all find this entertaining, fun, and soothing in the same way I do. MushLove 🍄❤️ . #fascinatedbyfungi #mushroomasmr #mushroomtaps #mushroomhunter #wildmushrooms #mycology #fungi #oddlysatisfying #tappingasmr #asmrtapping #asmrcrunch #crunchy #naturetok #mushtok #asmrsounds

Cronchy Colorado Mush Taps! #mushroomasmr #mushroomtaps #fascinatedbyfungi #tappingasmr #asmrtapping #cronchy #crunchy #oddlysatisfying #BigInkEnergy #bolete #colorado #fungi #coloradoadventures #asmrvideo

Let’s talk about “Gatekeeping” specifically with regards to the question of whether to “cut or pluck” a mushroom when harvesting it. . This is quite possibly the most contentious practice in the mushroom community. Usually on the side of people disparaging others for not cutting a mushroom off at the base with a knife compared to plucking/pulling it out by hand. There is a clear moral assumption here that somehow cleanly cutting off the mushroom is better for the environment/ future mushroom production. The problem is, the data does not support this idea. . In the only real long term study conducted on the effects of human foraging on the frequency of mushroom fruiting bodies, a group of Swiss researchers showed that over 27 years there was no real statistical difference between the harvesting methods of cut vs pluck. If anything they saw an increase in the number of fruiting bodies in areas with human foraging activity and concluded that cutting mushrooms may in fact leave the mycelium at risk for invasion by pests/disease. Look up the study by Egli et. al., 2006 Biological Conservation to learn more. . My best practices when it comes to mushroom picking is to usually pluck a mushroom, then trim the stem butts back onto the forest floor and cover them with duff. I do my best not to disturb the duff/mycelial matt and generally try to leave no trace whenever possible. Always leave behind young/old mushrooms and don’t get greedy. . So PLEASE stop judging others for how they pick mushrooms and be cognizant of your own internal biases if you find yourself pick shaming others. If you want to have a discourse about this, come prepared with scientifically rigorous data, not unfounded feelings. Chances are you do more harm to the environment with single use plastics and your carbon footprint from meat consumption or travel than any mushroom hunters gathering food in the forest. . #mushroomasmr #oddlysatisfying #taptaptap #crunchasmr #mycology #natureasmr #fascinatedbyfungi

See the whole video on my YouTube or on via HNGRYTV channel. #fascinatedbyfungi #mushroomedu #science101 #mycology #learnfromme #mycotok #fungi

Are you Fascinated By Fungi, slime molds, and slugs? Check out my website, podcast, and other socials to learn more from me! #fascinatedbyfungi #mycology #timelapse #timelapsenature #slimemold #slug #slugs #slugtok #mycotok #naturetok #sciencetok #hongos #jamur #fungi

Are you fascinated by fungi? Here’s a fun compilation of the incredible slime molds and mushrooms I’ve been finding in the winter months. This kind of video is meant to expose you to many different type of fungi and slime molds, you can check my other videos and photos to learn more about them. Hope you enjoy! . . . . #fascinatedbyfungi #mycology #slimemold #mushrooms #ascomycota #spores #hikingadventures

Mushroom months #mushrooms #mycology #wildmushrooms #fascinatedbyfungi #🍄 #kinoko #jamur #hongos #monthsoftheyear #months

Edging the milkiest of mushrooms, #CorrugatedMilkcap #Lactifluuscorrugis. This is a gorgeous mycorrhizal mushroom that grows in association with deciduous trees and conifers. When young it has a domed fuzzy purple-ish brownish cap and gorgeous copper colored gills. When nicked or cut, this mushroom exudes a tremendous amount of sticky white milky latex as a defense against bugs and slugs trying to eat the mushroom before it’s spores have matured. In maturity, the cap turns upwards and the gills drop a heavy load of white spores onto the ground beneath. The milky latex is astringent, bitter, tacky, and fishy smelling - it quickly turns brown and stains your hands (I get it all over myself when making these videos). I do not recommend you drink it. If you ask if you can drink, I will ask you to read the caption. I love how the “milk” pools on the gills, I am not sure why it appears to be hydrophobic, but am intensely fascinated by these increible mushrooms. . This is an excellent edible mushroom, my favorite way to prepare it is as a “conserva” or quick pickle, I’ll make a video about how to prepare these soon. Hope you enjoy this milky ASMR punctuated by rumbling thunder. . . . . #milkcap #lactarius #milky #latex #mycology #mushroomasmr #oddlysatisfying #thunder #fascinatedbyfungi #asheville #naturevideos

Wishing everyone a happy 4th of July, may you all experience a grand finale! . . #mycology #4thofjuly #fourthofjuly #fascinatedbyfungi #sciencetok #stemtok

Note: For the full effect, be sure to turn the volume all the way up when you watch this video. Are you ready to learn all about Jelly fungi? The fruiting bodies are packed with bioactive polysaccharides that allow them to persist for months, dehydrating and rehydrating with rain. Jellies are evolutionarily ancient mushrooms that mastered this form and have stayed relatively unchanged for hundreds of millions of years. Some are purely saprobes growing on decaying wood, while others are actually parasitic on the mycelium of other species. Most jelly fungi are technically edible, what they lack in flavor, they make up for in texture. Can be used for candying or pickling. . Per usual, this type of squishy mushroom content can be fairly polarizing. Some people find it relaxing as it tickles their brains and gives them ASMR tingles, some are revolted and horrified, while others find it supremely stimulating and evocative of intimate human behaviors. I revel in the full spectrum of human responses because I find it fascinating to see how we individually anthropomorphize mushrooms given our own perspectives. The matrix of human experience is on full display in the comment section for videos like this, for better and worse. Ultimately I make videos like this because they illicit a strong emotional response and help engage more people with the science of mycology. It’s my own weird subversive brand of science communication. I hope you enjoy and remember to keep it civil in the comments. Cheers! . #jellyfungus #ushygushy #squishy #squishyasmr #asmrsquishy #fascinatedbyfungi

Here’s a “tap tap cronch” ASMR mega mix of mushroom types from my time in Massachusetts. I make these videos for fun but also to help expose you to many different types of mushrooms. The purpose of my content is to be both educational and entertaining. There are so many mushrooms feature in this video that I am not going to address edibility. It’s important for you to learn how to recognize basic types of mushrooms before you concern yourself with whether or not they are edible. Try asking “what is this” rather than “can I eat this”, it’s a much safer and more responsible mindset when it comes to mushroom hunting. . Whenever I post a video like this, someone will inevitably accuse me of destroying nature or otherwise harming mushrooms. As a polite reminder, mushrooms are temporary reproductive structures of the mycelium below, picking the mushroom doesn’t hurt the mycelium. In the case of edible mushrooms, I take them home to cook and eat. For non-edible mushrooms, I nestle them back into the ground, allowing them to continue spreading their spores. I am not harming nature, if anything I am paying tribute to the incredible diversity of cool mushrooms and helping to inspire others to become stewards of their environment. Please take a moment to reflect on your own practices before projecting your anger at me. My goal is, and has always been to educate and encourage others to help conserve nature. If you can’t help but leave intentionally rude or negative feedback, you will no longer have the privilege of seeing my content. MushLove y’all 🍄❤️ . #asmr #asmrnature #mushroomasmr #asmrtapping #tappingasmr #asmrtappingsounds #mycology #fascinatedbyfungi #naturetok #mycotok

Thanks to a wet winter last year, there was a plethora of downed trees around Napa. I decided to put all this wood to work by inoculating these logs with plug spawn from @North Spore. On their website I was able to chose a variety of mushroom plug spawn, along with the specialized drill bit, wax, and swabs. I’m so excited to see how these logs progress over the next couple of years. It takes mycelium longer to colonize whole logs than it does for sawdust or grain, but the mushrooms you get tend to be larger and fruit over a longer period of time. Fall is the perfect time to plug up some logs, just keep them moist over the next year and the mycelium will flourish, producing delicious mushrooms for many years to come! You can use code “FASCINATEDBYFUNGI” to save 10% on your order at NorthSpore.com! Thanks again to my friends at North Spore for providing such great supplies for home mushroom cultivation! . . . #spreadthespore #northspore #mushroomcultivation #plugspawn #growyourownmushrooms #fascinatedbyfungi #northsporepartner #ad

How many of these mushrooms can you name? Whoever gets the most correct latin binomial names correct by the end of March will win a set of FBF stickers! Put on your mycology hats and good luck figuring these out. . #fascinatedbyfungi #mycology #naturetok #jamur #kinoko #hongos #champignons #mantar #蘑菇 #гриб #nấm #เห็ด #キノコ

Finding and cooking some Ruby Porcini (Boletus rubriceps), absolutely delicious edible mushrooms that grow in the Rocky Mountains during the summer months. . . #mushroomasmr #mushroomrecipe #porcini #kingbolete #boletusrubriceps #fascinatedbyfungi

Disclaimer: Despite the humorous nature of this video, it is meant to be educational. Please read the whole caption! . Jelly Fungi are evolutionarily ancient mushrooms that are well adapted to drying out and rehydrating with rain. They are characterized by their gelatinous lobed, leafy, and brain like fruiting bodies that produce white spores. Jelly fungi can be saprotrophic (growing on dead wood), but some species are also parasific, feasting on the mycelium of other species in the wood. All jelly fungi are edible, but lack any real flavor. They do however have an interesting gelatinous texture. . I know these videos can be polarizing, but touching Jelly fungi is very popular with certain demographics. Through the comments, I have seen that these videos allow people to anthropromorphize mushrooms as part of the human body and facilitates a discussion about our own sensitive parts. Regardless of language, people around the world relate to and engage with this type of content. I hope you enjoy a gooe jelly. This is just much intended to be as educational as it is entertaining. I hope it spurs vigorous discussion. Cheers! . . #jellyfungus #witchesbutter #mushroomasmr #ushygushy #squishy #squishyasmr #asmrsquish #fascinatedbyfungi #🍄💦

Shout out to my friend @Heather Brooks for helping me to find this amazing bucketlist mushroom, it was a dream come true to find the Stalked Aspic Puffball (Calostoma cinnabarium). These are mycorrhizal and related to Earthballs (Scleroderma) in the Boletales order. They are very slippery/jelly-like and filled with spores. I have heard that some cultures eat these, but I would not try eating them myself. More fun to puff them and play with them. . . . #calostoma #calostomacinnabarinum #stalkedpuffballinaspic #puffball #spores #mushroomedu #mycology #fascinatedbyfungi

Here’s a quick visual guide to foraging for Chanterelles, Black Trumpets, and Yellowfoot chanterelles. True Chanterelles are in the genus Cantharellus, they grow from the ground (not from wood/stumps) singular or sometimes in clusters. The underside of the cap will have blunt ridges (not gills) or be smooth and have white fim flesh inside, and often have a fruity aroma (like apricots and playdough). Black Trumpets and Yellowfeet are in the genus Craterellus, they tend to be smaller, have thinner flesh, and are hollow inside. These are some of the best edible mushroooms you can find and are relatively easy to identify, just make sure you can differentiate Chanterelles from Jack O Lanterns (Omphalotus), which grow in big clusters on dead wood and have real gills (not blunt ridges). Good luck foraging! . . . #foraging #foragingtips #wildmushrooms #mycology #chanterelles #blacktrumpets #yellowfootchanterelle #mushroomedu #fascinatedbyfungi #longervideos

Experimenting with posting long form horizontal content here on TikTok. Winter Mushroom Hunting in Napa, California, full video on my UToob. #learnontiktok #mushroomedu #naturetok #fascinatedbyfungi

Happy #FungusFriday, here’s a throwback to last summer when I visited North Carolina. This is a “Tap Tap Cronch” compilation that showcases the excellent fungal diversity of Appalachia. It’s too much work to individually label all the different species in this video; but they are generally organized by morphology type. . One of the most common questions I get asked is “why do you tap the mushrooms”? The practical reason I tap mushrooms is to test their density and maturity while also knocking off bugs and dirt. Tapping may also help release some spores, but that is not why I do it. Tapping mushrooms is fun, and I enjoy the noise it makes. It is also become an educational engagement strategy that helps people relate to my Mushroom videos. If you ask me in the comments, why I tap the mushroom, I will ask you to read the caption. . There is no one universally correct way to harvest a mushroom. Long-term studies have shown no significant difference between cutting versus plucking a mushroom (Egli et al., 2006 Biological Conservation). Generally, it’s agreed that want to cause as little disruption to the mycelium as possible. With this in mind, my best practices are to leave my trimmings in the woods and cover up the exposed mycelium. Any mushroom I don’t take home as food, I will leave in place to continue spreading spores, no harm done. . Please do not rudely pick shame or project judgements in my comments. Save that energy for attacking the corporations and governments actively causing climate change, which does far more damage to populations of mushrooms than foragers. . MushLove y’all 🍄❤️ . #mushroomasmr #taptapcronch #tappingasmr #crunchasmr #asmrtapping #asmrcrunch #mycology #mushrooms #fungi #fascinatedbyfungi

It was relatively dry in Colorado, did not seem any porcini this time around, but I still managed to make a fun “Tap Tap Cronch” compilation. I tap mushrooms for many reasons, to remove dirt and bugs, to test the density/maturity, to help spread spores, because I like the noise it makes, and because it helps people to engage emotionally with mushrooms, thus boosting these types of videos. Picking a mushroom does not hurt the mycelium below, it will continue to produce mushrooms whether they are plucked or cut, it makes no difference. For the toxic and non edible mushrooms I picked them to document/photograph. I left the non-edible mushrooms out in nature. If you are rude or argumentative about any of these points, I am going to ask you to read this caption. If you continue to pick shame or be judgemental, you will no longer be able to view my educational content 🍄👍 . . . . #mushroomasmr #taptapcronch #asmrtapping #tappingasmr #asmrcrunch #crunchasmr #mycology #mushrooms #fascinatedbyfungi #naturetok #stemtok #oddlysatisfying

Licking the big hard wet conk for science! This is the Red Belted Conk (Fomitopsis pinicola species complex), it is a brown rot polypore mushroom that is a common decomposer found on conifer trees. The droplets or moisture on this mushroom are known as guttation, which is essentially mushroom sweat, generated by the fast growing fruiting body. It is not clear if guttation serves a purpose, but it may help deter bugs and slugs from snacking on the tender growing edges of this mushroom. The piney bitter flavor is likely due to polyphenols in the droplets. Would you lick a big hard wet conk? Let me know in the comments. . . #redbeltedpolypore #redbeltedconk #fomitopsis #mycology #conk #polypore #guttation #fascinatedbyfungi #mushroomedu

Here’s a throwback to some of my favorite milky mushrooms. These mushrooms have evolved to exude a milky latex when injured to deter predation, thus the name common name of Milkcap. The milk itself is sticky, astringent, and not palatable (similar to the latex exuded by a fig). . This video features the #CorrugatedMilkCap #Lactifluuscorrugis, which has a velvet coppery brown purplish cap, and vibrant coppery gills, it bleeds a copious amounts of sticky milky latex that stains brown but doesn’t smell super fishy. There is also the #VoluminousMilkCap #Lactifluusvolemus which has a lighter orange/brown cap with tightly spaced gills and releases copious amounts of milky latex that smells fishy and turns brown. . Both these species are delicious edible mushrooms when cooked, but I wouldn’t try consuming them raw. L. volemus and corrugis tend to have a chalky texture when cooked straight in a pan, so I prefer to roast or boil/pickle them. Hopefully this guide helps you spot these edible milk cap species in mixed hardwood forests this summer (avoid any species where the latex stains yellow as they are poisonous). . #milkcap #milkcaps #milky #mushroomidentification #naturevideos #mycology #fascinatedbyfungi

Another experiment with long-form mushroom content, sharing a walk in the woods from this past summer when I visited North Carolina. Whole video is on my UToob. Hope you enjoy the chill forets vibes. . . . #learnontiktok #fascinatedbyfungi #mushroomidentification #naturetok #northcarolina

Berkeley’s Polypore (Bondarzewia berkeleyi), edible polypore mushroom. Better Chicken of the Woods imo. Best to harvest when immature and very dense. . . #berkeleyspolypore #polypore #mushroomedu #tastetest #wildmushrooms #fascinatedbyfungi #mycophagy

Excited to be visiting Colorado again this summer. The most exciting mushroom I found there was the Rocky Mountain Porcini or local King Bolete species #Boletusrubriceps. They are large fleshy pored mushrooms which grow in mycorrhizal association with Engleman Spruce. It was fairly recently (2014) that the species of King was recognized as being genetically distinct from other north American or European species. It was super exciting to find these big Boletes, they were for the most part free of bugs and incredibly dense crispy mushrooms. I brought home a bunch and have been cooking with them all week, check my stories to see what I’ve been making! . Boletus rubriceps is by far my favorite Porcini/King Bolete species that I have tried. It has little to none of the bitterness that I associate with the versions of this mushroom I have tried in California. As with other porcini it is an excellent mushroom when dried and powdered, able to add deep umami savoriness to any dish. Fresh those mushrooms have a texture that is very meaty and pleasing in the mouth, with relatively mild flavor compared to a portabello or shiitake. . . #porcini #mushroomhunter #wildmushrooms #kingbolete #coloradomushrooms #mushroomedu #fascinatedbyfungi #mycology #mushtok

Got really excited when I saw this video of @LEPAR D' PALLET harvesting #Termitomyces mushrooms. These are incredible edible mushrooms that grow in association with termite mounds. The termites bring wood back to their colony where they farm the mycelium of these mushrooms. The enzymes from the mycelium breaksdown the plant matter and the termites eat the digest material as food. With all of the resources collected by the termites, the mycelium is able to produce huge mushrooms which are delicious and highly sought after. They grow across Africa and South East Asia, where they are extremely popular in a variety of dishes. They arent easy to cultivate and must be foraged in the wild. I have never seen these myself, but I hope to try them some day. What a cool mushroom! . . #termites #mycology #giantmushroom #stemtok #naturetok #biology #mushrooms #fascinatedbyfungi #mushroomedu #greenscreenvideo #termite

Come along for a wet walk in the woods. Mushroom season was just getting started on Cape Ann, but here’s a sign of many exciting things to come! The Craterellus ignicolor and Oysters are edible, the Hemlock Varnish shelf is medicinal, everything else is inedible. Hopefully you enjoy these kinds of videos, seeing the forest floor through my eyes. Happy fungus Friday y’all! . . . #mycology #fascinatedbyfungi #walkinthewoods #naturetok #mushroomedu #massachusettsnature #rockportma

Check these cronchy Earthball (Scleroderma). These are mycorrhizal mushrooms, associated here with Oak. They are “gasteroid” meaning the spores develop internally (similar to a puffball). They are inedible/mildly toxic and can differentiated from edible puffballs by their tough yellow skin and black/purple spore mass (gleba). In North America and Europe, these are considered toxic, causing severe GI uoset when consumed. The spores can also cause respiratory inflammation/infection if inhaled, so be careful. ’ve heard of people eaten them in South East Asia, especially in the Philippines where they are known as “bui”, but only after peeling off the outside and only the immature white gleba is cooked and eaten. . Earthballs are not particularly interesting mushrooms to photograph on their own. By tapping and cutting the mushroom, it makes for a far more dynamic piece of content that will engage a wider audience and hopefully get them to read the caption. It’s all about science communication, plus there is a fun ASMR element to the tapping and cutting. . #earthball #scleroderma #mushroomasmr #mycology #fungi #mushrooms #tappingasmr #asmrtapping #bui #fascinatedbyfungi

My knowledge of Fungi is fully encompassing, if you know what I mean 😏🍄 #mycology #amaturemycologist #fascinatedbyfungi #mushroom #specialinterests

Behold the ever so brilliant Spring #ButterBolete #Butyriboletusprimiregius. These red capped beauties are often hard to find when young, fully covered, barely breaking the surface as mushroom humps (shrumps). They grow in association with Fir (Abies sp.) and fruit ~3-7K here in the mountains of California. They tend to like warm soil, preferring to fruit after the morels have passed and porcini (Boletus rex-veris) have kicked in. I especially love this species, not just as a tasty edible mushroom but also for its stunning bright yellow pores that stain incredibly blue and gorgeous apple red cap. Butters have incredible resonance, providing some of the best Bolete beats around. Then can be differentiated from the look alike Caloboletus rubripes that have a brown (often cracking) cap, red stem, bitter flameou flavor, and quickly blue staining flesh (butters stain slowly erratically blue). They can be hard to spot, but they really are some of my favorite mushrooms! . #butyriboletus #fascinatedbyfungi #mushroomforaging #mushroomhunter