For CONFIRMED INGESTION, please DO NOT contact us.

Contact Poison Control and Poisons Help; Emergency Identification For Mushrooms & Plants for professional advice and quick response time.

Mushrooms are safe to touch, smell, and even chew up and spit out. If you are worried about a mushroom in your yard, etc. we would love to help you identify it. Get in touch with our Identification Committee at iowamushroomidcommittee@gmail.com, or request ID help on the Iowa Mushrooms Facebook page.

There is no easy way to tell if a mushroom is edible or not. You simply must know what species it is. If you are new to mushroom foraging, and you think you have something edible, please contact us to confirm ID, or request help on the Iowa Mushrooms Facebook group. Never, ever eat a mushroom you have not positively identified, and always cook wild mushrooms unless you have confirmed it is edible raw.

The most poisonous mushrooms in Iowa are Galerina marginata and Amanita bisporigera. These mushrooms contain lethal amatoxins. Many other mushrooms contain toxins that will cause severe gastrointestinal distress. Contact Poison Control if you have eaten a poisonous mushroom.

Fantastic! We love willing volunteers. Come to forays and other events, and join your Iowa mushrooming community at the Iowa Mushrooms Facebook group.

Email us at iowamushroom@gmail.com to discuss how you can lend a hand, and let us know if you are interested in nominating yourself for a board position.

- Typically, our forays are on Saturday mornings from 10 am - noon. However, always verify the day, date, and time as these often vary from typical.
- We always go off trail, so dress accordingly. Long pants, long-sleeve shirt, and hiking boots make the most sense, even in the heat of summer. A brightly colored hat and bright clothing keeps you safe from hunters.
- Bugs, mosquitoes, and wood ticks are usually a concern. Bring bug spray and/or treat your clothing with bug repellent. Lyme disease is a serious problem in Iowa.
- A pen/pencil and a pad of paper are useful to record fungal finds, the substrate they were on, and other pertinent information.
- Bring a small knife to cut mushrooms, and several paper bags to keep edible fungi separate from non-edibles. A basket works great to carry all of your supplies and gathered mushrooms.
- A walking stick is an extremely valuable accessory for mushroom forays. You can bring your own stick (ski poles will work), or make one from a dead branch when we enter the woods.
- After the foray, we usually gather around a picnic table to examine our finds and make a list of known species. Most of us bring a sack lunch to enjoy while we sort through our finds. Occasionally, someone will have found more edible fungi than they care to take home. Stick around and they might share with you.

Absolutely! We will do our best to accommodate requests. If we know you already and you wish to lead a foray, or want to request a foray to be held on your own property, please reach out.