According to provincial forest pathologist Harry Kope (British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development), one of the worldB次元官网网址檚 most dangerous mushrooms has been found growing in Comox.

B次元官网网址淚 have been informed that what appears to be Amanita phalloides (Death cap mushroom) has been found fruiting in Comox, close to Filberg Park,B次元官网网址� reads the email, sent by Kope to a local community health network. B次元官网网址淭his is a first finding of the mushroom outside of greater Vancouver and Victoria.

B次元官网网址淒eath cap mushrooms are a high health risk in urbananized environments. Death cap mushrooms are extremely poisonous and closely resemble some edible mushroom from Asia. Eating them may lead to liver and kidney damage, or death. People should educate themselves to keep their children and pets away from this species.B次元官网网址�

When contacted by The Record, Kope confirmed the discovery as authentic.

B次元官网网址淪omeone on Facebook posted a picture of the mushroom and said it was in the Comox Valley,B次元官网网址� said Kope. B次元官网网址淭here was some follow-up, and on Oct. 26 someone went out and collected it, and confirmed that it is [a death cap].B次元官网网址�

Kope said that while only a single mushroom was discovered, chances are good that there are more in the area.

B次元官网网址淪pores are wind-spreadB次元官网网址� it can be carried on roots of trees, and plants. How fast it can get around is really hard to say. But assuming that one that fruited was allowed to sporulate, those spores can carry into the wind, and they can [spread]. Just because there was that one mushroom found, there may be more of them coming to this area. To say thereB次元官网网址檚 just that oneB次元官网网址� [thatB次元官网网址檚] unlikley.B次元官网网址�

Vancouver Island has recorded at least one human death due to the ingestion of the death cap mushroom. In October of 2016, a child died after eating one that was picked in downtown Victoria.

A puppy also died from ingesting a death cap mushroom in Victoria, last year.

B次元官网网址淚 went to the neighbourhood where this puppy had eaten that mushroom and there were lots and lots of different ones,B次元官网网址� said Kope. B次元官网网址淪o why did he go for that one? So thatB次元官网网址檚 part of the concernB次元官网网址� maybe thereB次元官网网址檚 something about these that attracts dogs. So donB次元官网网址檛 let your dogs investigate them, or eat them.B次元官网网址�

For up to date information about the death cap mushroom, characteristics, and what to do if ingested, visit the BC Centre for Disease Control website:

terry.farrell@blackpress.ca
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