As the leaves start to fall for autumn and the days get damper and darker, the approach to Halloween is the perfect time to explore the little-known world of fungi.  

With more than 15,000 species in the UK, fungi make up an entire kingdom of their own. These curious beings are neither plant, nor animal, and their diversity is stupendous. Some are delicious, others are poisonous, and although those like the scarlet elf cups, king alfred’s cakes and pink ballerinas are sweetly named, others such as the funeral bell, weeping widow, and dead man’s fingers are more fitting as Halloween draws nearer.  

Every habitat is home to a great variety of fungi, you may well be surprised at just how many you come across!  

Fungi also include some of our most poisonous species, and aptly named species such as the sickener, poison pie, death cap, fool’s funeral, and the destroying angel litter the forest floor. NEVER eat any fungi you find unless you are 100% certain about their identity. Unless you are with an expert, it is best to leave mushrooms where you find them - that way, others can enjoy their beauty - and go home with a photo instead. Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust does not allow mushroom picking on our reserves.  

The devil’s fingers fungus is one of Britain’s most threatening-looking and although the harmless species is a rare find it has been recently spotted in the New Forest, just in time for the spooky season. Its dark red tentacles look almost alien-like and can grow up to 7cm long after hatching from a gelatinous ‘egg’. At first glance, you would not be blamed for thinking that it had escaped from the ‘upside-down’ depicted in the Netflix series Stranger Things! As well as its other-worldly appearance, the fungus produces a smell of rotting flesh to attract insects and spread spores and is a perfect Halloween find.  

Some even have behaviour which is utterly bizarre. The cedar cup is a lovely thing to stumble upon-should you be lucky enough. Forming partially buried little crowns in the ground, the cedar cup spends most of its time concealed as a sphere below ground, before bursting through the soil to reveal its star like rays. This particular fungus is an ‘Ascomycete,’ meaning it shoots its spores out from the inside surface. You can sometimes visibly see this if you puff on a sheltered fruitbody. It will look as though the cup is smoking! 

Fungi play a key role within our ecosystems, helping to recycle nutrients from dead or decaying organic matter, and providing food and shelter for different animals. Our gardens are also vital resource for wildlife, providing corridors of green space between open countryside. Try leaving log piles and dead wood to help fungi and the wildlife that depends on it.