Pictures of Mushrooms in Western New York
Mushrooms in the Great Lakes Region

Mushrooms in New York
Western New York has a wide variety of mushrooms and other fungi that grow among the grasses and woodlands. Many species (most notably Amanita Muscaria, which has a red cap with white spots) are highly poisonous. Wild mushrooms and other fungi should never be harvested and consumed unless identified by an expert mycologist.
The fungi contained in these pictures are only a small sampling of the various mushrooms and other interesting fungal growth that occur in the forests of New York. Mushrooms are found most commonly between the months of June-September, as the winter snows and frigid temperatures during the rest of the year either hide or kill the mushrooms.
The following mushrooms were photographed at theTom Erlandson Overview Park in Frewsburg, New York. All photographs were taken with a Canon 30D digital SLR camera. All of the mushroom pictures were taken in the month of July in the dense undergrowth of oak, beech, and maple trees.
Orange Mushrooms in New York
Click thumbnail to view full-size



Orange Waxy Cap Mushrooms (Hygrocybes)
While many wax cap mushrooms grow in grasslands in Europe, similar mushrooms grow in woodlands in North America. Orange waxy cap mushrooms can be found growing under beech and other hardwood trees in the forests of Western New York. The bright orange mushrooms may grow in small groups among the mosses of the undergrowth. These mushrooms were found under oak and beech trees in the month of July.
These mushrooms should not be eaten (the toxicity is unclear, but there have been reports of poisonings). In any case, the waxy substance would make the mushroom unpalatable
Yellow Nolanea Mushroom

Witch’s Cap, or Yellow Nolanea
The yellow Witch’s Cap mushroom has a brilliant yellow color and a conical cap. This yellow mushroom will leave a pink spore print, and is also known as the “Yellow Unicorn Entoloma.”
This mushroom may grow isolated or in small groups under trees. The cap is always pointed or has a convex cap with a point in the center. The gills are initially yellow, but will turn a rosy color as the mushroom matures. These mushrooms should never be eaten, as it is considered dangerous and/or poisonous. This mushroom is found widely distributed around the Great Lakes region of the United States.
A Yellow Mushroom in the Woods

Yellow Wax Cap Mushrooms
Also known as “hygrocybes,” the waxcap mushrooms tend to frequent the grasslands of Europe and the woodlands of North America. These mushrooms often have a waxy or shiny appearance on the button cap, and are often found in brilliant orange and yellow colors. The spore print of these mushrooms will be white.
These are similar to the orange wax caps, as they are both hygrocybes. We found this brilliant yellow wax cap growing among some moss under a thick forest of oak, beech, and maple trees. The color was so bright it nearly glowed in the dark undergrowth.
Chicken of the Woods Fungus (Laetiporus)

Chicken of the Woods
Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus) is an edible mushroom, but only if it is properly prepared. As with all fungi, mushroom identification should only be made by an expert: many fungi are deadly, and should not be consumed unless the identification is confirmed.
This mushroom often grows on rotting logs or felled trees, though some varieties will grow in soil. The mushroom may grow in a row of “shelves” (hence its alternate name, “Sulfur Shelf”) or in a rosette pattern. Chicken of the Woods is nearly always found on oak trees in the state of New York.
This mushroom gets its name from the flavor of the fungus: when properly cooked, the mushroom tastes like chicken. Some people are very sensitive to this mushroom, so a small (cooked) quantity should be tried before consuming larger amounts. This mushroom can also be used to create an orange dye.
"Dog Vomit" Slime Mold on a Tree Stump

Slime Molds: Yellow Myxomycete
Slime molds are technically not fungi – they have their own kingdom, completely separate from mushrooms. The yellow slime mold at the right has the rather unappetizing name of “Dog Vomit Slime Mold.” This slime mold can often be found on felled trees. This bright yellow, fuzzy, spreading slime mold is covering the stump of a felled oak tree.
While slime molds produce spores similar to fungi (and thus are often studied by mycologists), they do not have cell walls like fungi. Instead, they exist in an amoeba-like form and feed on bacteria by engulfing them. Oddly enough, slime molds were the inspiration for the "The Blob," a sci-fi flick originally produced in 1958. Some slime molds do appear as slimy blobs for part of their life cycle, though the one photographed on the right has more of a spongy texture.
The slime molds start out as amoeba-like lifeforms, but can mate and form plasmodia – these plasmodia can grow to be many feet long and will contain many cell nuclei without individual cellular membranes. When a human stumbles across a slime mold, the visible portion is usually the fruiting body. The fruiting body is what appears to be a mold or fungus, though it is in no way related to the fungi. Spores are released from the fruiting bodies, and amoeba hatch from the spores, starting the life cycle over again.
Other Great Mushroom Articles
- Wild Mushrooms Are Fun-Guys to Photograph (Fungi Pictures)
A Vivid Photo Gallery of Wild Mushrooms. These professional freelance Images of Mushrooms have been shot in their natural environment in Napa Calif. You will find unique story lines accompany some of the authors favorite Mushroom Pictures. - Pictures of Mushrooms and Fungi - Wild ones!
Take a look at all the many interesting photos that my cousin Bill and I took of mushrooms and fungi growing in our respective areas of the country. Not only are they beautiful but they serve various purposes which I found to be very interesting when
Questions & Answers
Comments
That is not a chicken of the woods. Good try though.
You must have done some crawling around to get these photos! Here in France, you take your mushrooms to the local pharmacist - they are trained to identify them. If they're not good mushrooms, they keep them. And if they are good mushrooms, they still keep them (sometimes!). Nice hub.
Fabulous pictures, I love the witch's cap!
Voting UP
Beautiful photos. I am always in awe of those who can capture such beauty in nature. My 2012 to do list includes taking a photography class or two. I love taking photos but don't know a thing about capturing images at the right angles, lighting, etc. Thanks for sharing these beauties!
Thanks for the inspiring hub. You inspired me to get busy and publish my collection of photographs of Michigan mushrooms. Thanks for the nudge.
How cool. I really love that Yellow Nolanea. You are very knowledgeable and must have a wonderful library of photographs. This Hub is one of my favorites. The world sure has some fascinating creations doesn't it?
Its beautiful, thanks for sharing.!
Leah, these are awesome mushroom pictures! I love the Orange Cap and Slime shots! What an interesting bunch of fungi. I really enjoyed this hub and the delightful photos you shared! Linkalicious!
HubHugs~
K9
Thanks Leah! I'll have to take a look at K9Keystrokes mushroom hub. Mushrooms and fungus is truly beautiful.
Oh I loved this! I have written a mushroom hub also and will link this one to mine. You have some types in yours that I do not and vice versa. I am always on the lookout for new types in our yard and elsewhere. Voted everything but funny.
Nice photos and a clever topic. I have noticed mushrooms growing in my yard and around town but they are never as pretty or colorful as these!
Some nice pictures and information about these brilliantly coloured yet too often overlooked mushrooms and toadstools. I particularly like the little yellow Witch's Cap. Useful page if it inspires a few people to develop an interest in these little appreciated mushrooms.
23