Brown Birch Bolete (Leccinum Scabrum)
The Brown Birch Bolete, or Leccinum Scabrum, is unfortunately one of those rarer mushrooms which tastes rather poor when compared to its appearance. However it is not actually a rare mushroom, just rare in the taste department (so many of the edible mushrooms that look “tasty” are actually very good to eat too).
Brown Birch Bolete
From around late August the Brown Birch Bolete’s have been appearing in great numbers wherever the conditions are suitable, and this year seems to have been very good for them in particular. They will grow amongst Silver Birch trees (as the name suggests), and like wet, grassy ground. Expect to find them in many deiciduous forests, and anywhere really that Silver Birch are present.
Bolete Mushroom
Amazingly I recently spotted a larger, firm Brown Birch Bolete which beared the markings of some kind of animal. At first my guess was a bird of prey, using the Bolete as a perch, but the marks left by the feet of the animal don’t really seem right for a bird. Later on, after having some more time to consider it, my guess was that it could have been a Squirrel. Whatever it was, it looks like its gone to take a chunk out of either the Bolete, or whatever it was that it was carrying (maybe a nut), or maybe there was an insect or creature on the mushroom that it decided to eat. Anyway I’m open to any of your suggestions as to what you think may have left this print?
Bolete animal print