Content
The dung beetle is an inedible, non-poisonous mushroom, little known to lovers of “silent hunting”. The reason is not only the dissonant name, but also the extraordinary appearance, as well as the insufficient amount of information about it. Other names are downy dung beetle and hairy dung beetle. And in Latin the mushroom is called Coprinus lagopus. It belongs to the family Psatirelaceae, genus Coprinopsis.
Where does the hairy dung beetle grow?
The species is found on rotted remains of wood and prefers deciduous trees. Often mushrooms grow on manured soils.It is difficult to accurately determine the distribution area of the hairy dung beetle, since it can only be recognized in the first few hours of life. Fruiting bodies develop and disappear very quickly. For the same reason, it is difficult to determine the fruiting period. The season begins at the beginning of summer and lasts, according to various assumptions, until the end of the hot months or until mid-autumn.
What does the hairy dung beetle look like?
The species stands out among its relatives with its velvety, variegated surface. It has a short lifespan, at the end of which it turns into a resinous black substance.
The growth phases of the dung beetle are clearly defined. The first is characterized by a fusiform or elliptical shape of the cap. Its diameter reaches 1-2.5 cm, and its height up to 4-5 cm. The color is olive, with a brown tint. It is almost completely hidden by light scales.
The next stage begins in about a day. The cap lengthens and becomes bell-shaped, like most representatives of the genus. At this stage, the fruiting bodies are no longer edible. The process of autolysis, that is, self-dissolution, starts.
At the last stage of growth, the shape changes to prostrate. Only the center of the cap reaches it. The edges are raised up. The mushroom quickly decomposes, leaving only the top with dark edges.
On the surface of the fruiting body there are white flakes, which are the remnants of the general covering. Outwardly, they look like villi. An olive-brown color appears between them. The pulp is fragile and decomposes quickly.
The leg is tall, up to 8 cm in length. Hollow inside, pubescent on the outside, slightly curved, cylindrical. Its color is whitish, with an olive tint.
Narrow and loose plates are located frequently. During the first hours of the mushroom's existence, they are light gray. Soon the plates darken to black. Then they turn into slime. The spore powder is colored black-violet.
Is it possible to eat the hairy dung beetle?
In various sources, the dung beetle is classified as a mushroom that is not eaten. Obviously, the main reason for this discrepancy is the ability of its fruiting bodies to quickly decompose. In any case, you should not taste the mushroom; it is inedible.
Similar species
The genus Coprinopsis includes a large number of species with similar external characteristics. It is not always possible to distinguish them due to their short lifespan and blurred characteristics. There are several representatives of the genus in which the common veil leaves small white decorations on the caps.
One similar species is the woodpecker dung beetle, an inedible hallucinogenic species. Characteristic features are a black surface and large flake sizes.
Another mushroom with which the hairy dung beetle can be confused is the common dung beetle, which is edible at a young age. His hat is not so richly decorated and is larger in size. In addition, the species grows on soil, and not on rotting wood.
The snow-white dung beetle is an inedible specimen. Its external signs: a small cap with a diameter of 1-3 cm, covered with white skin with a pronounced powdery coating. The shape of the cap changes from ovoid to conical, and then flattened. The leg is light in color and thin. The fungus prefers horse manure. Often found in wet grass. Fruiting occurs in the summer and autumn months.
The inky dung beetle belongs to the group of conditionally edible mushrooms.The shape of the cap changes from ovoid to bell-shaped with a height of about 7 cm. Its diameter does not exceed 5 cm. The surface is covered with small scales. The leg is white, elongated, without a ring.
Conclusion
The hairy dung beetle is a typical representative of the genus Coprinopsis, incorporating all its characteristics. The main distinguishing feature of the species is its short life span. If in the evening a mushroom picker encounters a motley family of dung beetles in the forest, then the next morning, returning to the same place, he will most likely find instead of hearth bodies only stumps, as if stained with dark resin. The mushrooms seem to “melt away.” They should not be collected in any form or eaten.
