@learntogrow1: Making mushroom spore prints is a fun and educational fall activity! 💚🍄🟫🍄 A mushroom spore print can be done with fresh and store-bought mushrooms; dry ones won’t work. A bowl is placed over the wine cap mushroom to raise the humidity and prevent the spores from scattering. You can speed up the process by placing a drop of water on top of the cap. It’s a good idea to lay white and black paper side by side and then put the mushroom in the middle in case the spores are dark so they can be seen. A single mushroom spore isn’t visible to the naked eye, but a spore print allows us to see them en masse. This method can help with wild mushroom identification but should not be the only indicator used. The color of spores can determine which family the mushroom belongs to. Spores are the reproductive cells of fungi containing genetic material. In the wild, spores are dispersed by wind, animals, insects, or rain. Spores from prints can cultivate mushrooms but should be done on a sterile surface, like tin foil sterilized with isopropyl alcohol. Spores are transferred in a sterile environment. Please remember that a spore print will not entirely identify a mushroom. Don’t eat wild mushrooms unless they are accurately identified and you’re sure they’re not poisonous. It’s best to contact a professional for help. It’s also a good idea to acquire a guidebook and always do your research. The mushroom field guidebook we use is the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms. 🍄🟫 #mushroom #fungi #gardening #fyp #mushrooms
