Essay about fly agaric. Poisonous fly agaric: photo and description

If fly agaric - poisonous mushroom, then a completely logical question arises: where to look for fly agarics and, most importantly, why do it? The answer is very simple - despite all its toxicity, some types of these “gifts of the forest”, in particular the red fly agaric, in folk medicine irreplaceable. True, these mushrooms have not passed clinical trials and therefore the data are based only on the words of the doctors themselves.

In this article we will talk about the use of fly agaric in medicine, show photos of red, white, panther and other types of fly agaric, give their description, and also inform where fly agarics grow.

Poisonous fly agaric(Amanita muscaria)- a mushroom known even to children. Like a red traffic light, it warns: don’t eat, don’t touch!

However, pay attention to the photo of the red fly agaric: its cap with a diameter of 6-7 cm, in addition to bright red, can be orange, yellow, or less often red-brown. The second main feature of the inedible fly agaric is peculiar flake-like warts. white, which are easily washed off by rain. When broken, the red poisonous fly agaric does not emit a smell.

Leg (height 7-22 cm): cylindrical, white, less often yellowish in color, dotted with flocculent remains of the cap.

Pulp: dense, white, sometimes yellowish.

Records: light white or cream-colored, frequent, large, may alternate with smaller ones.

Look at the photo of poisonous fly agarics growing in North America, - they have a pale yellow or light orange color. IN at a young age In red fly agaric mushrooms, warts can almost completely hide the color of the cap.

Where does the poisonous red fly agaric grow?

Every mushroom picker knows where red fly agarics grow: they can be found: in coniferous forests with acidic soil, less often under birch trees. Common satellites are forest spruces; less often, entire families settle under birch trees.

The poisonous mushroom red fly agaric grows: from the second half of summer until mid-autumn, until the first frosts, in northern zone with a temperate climate. Distributed in almost all forests of Russia, except for the hot southern regions.

There are no doubles. Thanks to remarkable view The red fly agaric is difficult to confuse with another mushroom.

Red fly agaric in folk medicine and rituals

Data on the use of red fly agaric in medicine have not been confirmed. It is alleged that the caps of the inedible fly agaric are used in the treatment of a huge number of diseases, such as arthritis, rheumatism, radiculitis, paralysis, sciatica, neuralgia and even oncology.

The ancient Indo-Iranians prepared the ritual drink soma from the juice of the red fly agaric, the coniferous shrub ephedra and the harmala flower. There is a version that it also had some healing properties. He was received during the singing of religious hymns. In the hymns of the Rig Veda, this drink is called “a child of the earth, red in color, without leaves, flowers or fruits, with a head resembling an eye.”

Supporters of shamanic rituals and lovers of new sensations should remember that the content of toxic substances in red fly agaric mushrooms varies, therefore, before committing this or that act, it is worth thinking about your own health. On average, for a fatal outcome, a healthy person will need 12-15 fly agaric caps, but depending on the age and other characteristics of the mushroom, their number can be much smaller. Abuse of the use of red fly agaric both in medicine and in rituals can cause not only a feeling of mild intoxication or mild hallucinations, but also amnesia.

In Russia and Europe, people used fly agaric as a means of fighting insects, in particular flies. A decoction was made from it, onto which insects flew and died. This is where the name of the mushroom comes from.

Eating: The mushroom is poisonous and therefore inedible. The peoples of Siberia, some countries of Europe and North America often consumed fly agaric as a hallucinogenic drug - it contains muscimol, which has psychotropic properties. In shamanic rituals, red fly agaric was used as an intoxicant.

Panther fly agaric, poisonous: photo and description

The cap of a young poisonous panther fly agaric (Amanita pantherina) (diameter 5-11 cm) is in the form of a hemisphere, over time it becomes completely flat with characteristic ribbed edges. This type of fly agaric got its name precisely because of the color of the cap.

Pay attention to the photo of the panther fluff: the flesh inside the cap is most often white and watery.

Leg (height 5-13 cm): cylindrical in shape, tapering from bottom to top, has a ring-shaped volva of white or light gray color. Sometimes (not always!) there may be a fragile ring and small fibers along the entire length of the stem. According to the description, the plates of the panther fly agaric resemble the plates of the red fly agaric - they are frequent, white or light gray in color. Adult mushrooms may have faint brown spots on the plates.

The poisonous panther fly agaric, the photo of which is presented above, when broken, gives off a very sharp, unpleasant odor; avid mushroom pickers claim that it is similar to the smell of fresh radish.

Doubles: close relatives are the thick fly agaric (Amanita spissa) and gray-pink (Amanita rubescens). The thick fly agaric, which is very rare, has a fleshier flesh and a collar-shaped volva. The gray-pink one has pinkish flesh after breaking and a line-like pattern on the surface of the ring.

Where to look for panther fly agaric

You can find out where to find panther fly agarics when you visit coniferous forest– this poisonous mushroom prefers pine trees. In deciduous and deciduous forests it settles less frequently and exclusively under pine trees.

The mushroom grows from the second half of July until the very end of September in the temperate zone of the countries of the Northern Hemisphere.

For food this inedible mushroom not used as it is very poisonous.

Not applicable.

Before you find the panther fly agaric, let alone pick this mushroom, remember that it is extremely dangerous due to the content of toxic substances similar to the poisons of henbane and dope. Fans of the thrill of natural hallucinogens should know that mixing these three components in the body results in poisoning and intoxication, as when consuming arsenic.

Although the mushroom is not used either in medicine or in cooking, the use of panther fly agaric is common among owners of suburban areas as a powerful remedy in the fight against insect pests.

White stinking fly agaric and its photo

Since childhood, many people believe that a fly agaric should be bright red with white specks on the cap, so the sight of a white fly agaric (Amanita virosa) can be confusing. But there is such a mushroom, and besides, its name includes not only the word “white”, but also the unappetizing “smelly”: when broken, it emits a very unpleasant odor.

Hat (diameter 5-11 cm): conical in shape, with a clearly defined sharp apex, often deformed.

Looking at the photo of the white fly agaric, you will notice that the top and center of the mushroom cap can sometimes be yellow color. The surface is shiny, in a humid environment - with small secretions of sticky mucus. Sometimes it may be covered with white filmy flakes.

Leg (height 11-15 cm): usually long and curved.

Records: very frequent, mostly white or grayish.

The unpleasant smell of white fly agaric is similar to the pungent smell of highly concentrated bleach, familiar to all housewives.

How to distinguish this mushroom from edible look-alikes? The first sign may be an unpleasant odor. The second indicator is that a champignon, for example, does not have a volva, and adult mushrooms have colored plates. However, some white fly agarics “hide” the volva in the ground, so it is easy to miss. Still, rely on the smell, and if there is no smell, then be sure to pay attention to the structure of the mushroom.

Doubles: inexperienced mushroom pickers may confuse white fly agaric with toadstool (Amanita phalloides), a type of champignon (Agaricus) or white russula (Russula albidula).

When it grows: from mid-July to late October in the temperate zone of the Eurasian continent from the forests of France to Russia Far East. Less common in mountainous areas of central Europe.

Where to find stinky fly agaric

The stinking fly agaric can be found primarily in coniferous and deciduous forests with sandy or acidic soil. This mushroom often grows near hills or in mountainous areas; it cannot be found on the plains.

The white stinking fly agaric is not consumed as food due to its extreme toxicity, and is not used in folk medicine.

Other names: white grebe.

Spring fly agaric and its doubles

hat spring fly agaric(Amanita verna) 4-12 cm in diameter, smooth and shiny, white, but the center may be darker. A young mushroom has a hemisphere shape, but over time it becomes almost flat.

Leg (height 5-13 cm): smooth, thickened at the base. The same color as the cap, has a light coating along its entire length.

Pulp: dense, white, very brittle.

Records: white.

Spring fly agaric does not have a distinct taste or aroma. Some mushroom pickers say that its taste is bitter, but due to the toxicity of the fly agaric, it is not recommended to check this statement.

Doubles of the spring fly agaric are champignons of any kind; this poisonous mushroom can also be confused with green russula (Russula aeruginea) and greenish (Russula virescens), different floats (Amanita). The champignon does not have a volva, and the plates are usually not white, but colored. Russulas also have no volva, and russulas are also very brittle. In addition, greenish russula is much smaller and does not have a mushroom ring.

When it grows: from late April to mid-July in countries with warm climates, in Russia mainly in the Volga region and southern regions.

Where can I find: on calcareous moist soils of deciduous forests.

Eating: not used.

Use in folk medicine: does not apply.

Other names: white fly agaric, spring toadstool.

Be careful: spring fly agaric is easily confused with some edible mushrooms.

Inedible fly agaric Vittadini

hat Fly agaric Vittadini(Amanita vittadinii)(diameter 5-18 cm) white, olive or light brown, with uneven and ribbed edges. Often covered with small scales and warts. Like most Amanitaceae, it changes shape during the life of the mushroom from prostrate or bell-shaped to almost flat.

Leg (height 6-18 cm): almost always white. Tapers from bottom to top. Covered with white scaly rings.

Pulp: white, turns slightly yellow when cut and when exposed to air. When broken, it emits a pleasant mushroom aroma.

Records: very frequent and wide, white or cream in color.

Doubles: are missing.

When it grows: from mid-April to early October warm countries Europe and Asia, North America and Africa.

Where can I find: in all types of forests, as well as in steppes. Amanita Vittadini is a drought-resistant mushroom, it can withstand long periods no rain.

Eating: data on the edibility of the Vittadini fly agaric is very contradictory, but most scientists classify it as inedible.

Use in folk medicine: does not apply.

Amanita toadstool: photo and description

hat fly agaric(Amanita citrina)(diameter 6-11 cm) pale yellow, less often greenish-olive or gray-white, fleshy, with a hanging ring and white or gray flakes, usually sticky to the touch. A young mushroom is slightly convex, but over time it becomes completely flat. Leg (height 6-13 cm): cylindrical, hollow, slightly widened downwards. The color ranges from grayish to pale yellow. The description of the plates of the fly agaric mushroom is similar to the plates of all representatives of the fly agaric: frequent, but weak.

The mushroom contains poisonous compounds similar to substances in the bodies of some exotic frogs.

When broken, the mushroom emits a pungent odor. raw potatoes.

Pay attention to the photo of the fly agaric grebes: it is similar to the pale grebe (Amanita phalloides) and the gray fly agaric (Amanita porphyria). The pale toadstool, unlike the fly agaric, has no smell and has a smooth cap, without flakes or growths. And the gray fly agaric has a darker cap than the toadstool.

Other names: fly agaric yellow-green, lemon fly agaric, yellow death cap, lemon yellow fly agaric.

When it grows: from the beginning of August to the end of October throughout almost the entire territory of Eurasia and North America, less often on African continent and in Australia.

Where can I find: prefers to grow next to pines and oaks on sandy and slightly acidic soils.

Eating: not used due to poor taste.

Use in folk medicine: does not apply.

Important! Although the toadstool fly agaric is slightly toxic, you should not eat it. Even small doses of toxins can seriously affect the human body.

In addition, this mushroom is easily confused with its more poisonous counterparts.

Poisonous fly agaric mushroom

hat fly agaric(Amanita franchetii)(diameter 4-11 cm): yellow, brown, chocolate, may have a gray or olive tint. The young rough fly agaric has a semicircular shape, which changes with age to almost completely prostrate. The edges of the cap are usually smooth and even, but in older mushrooms they can tear and curl up.

Leg (height 5-11 cm): white or light yellow, hollow, tapering from bottom to top, covered with noticeable yellow flakes. Has a ring with ribbed edges.

Records: weakly adherent or completely free, usually white, which changes to yellow-brown as the mushroom ages. And the white flesh at the site of the cut or break quickly turns yellow.

Botanists' views on the smell and taste of the rough fly agaric vary. Some scientists note their pleasant feature, while others are of the opposite opinion.

Doubles: are missing.

Use in folk medicine: does not apply.

When it grows: from the beginning of July to mid-October in many European countries, in Central Asia, North America and Africa.

Where can I find: in deciduous and mixed forests, prefers the neighborhood of oak and beech.

Eating: the mushroom is poisonous.

Inedible mushroom fly agaric bristlecone

hat fly agaric bristlecone(Amanita echinocephala)(diameter 5-16 cm) white, often with an ocher or greenish tint. Fleshy, round and shaped like a small egg, but over time it straightens out and becomes prostrate. It is covered with pronounced pyramidal scales, for which, by the way, the mushroom received the name bristly. A large amount of remnants of the spathe can often be seen at the edges of the cap.

Leg (height 9-19 cm): cylindrical in shape with small scales and a pointed base embedded in the soil. The color and shades of the stem are usually the same as that of the cap.

Records: frequent and white, but in mature mushrooms they may have a turquoise or olive tint. The firm flesh is usually white or yellowish.

Bristle fly agarics have an extremely unpleasant taste and smell, according to experienced mushroom pickers, reminiscent of the distinct smell of severe rot.

Doubles: solitary fly agaric (Amanita solitaria) and pineal fly agaric (Amanita strobiliformis). Both of these mushrooms are quite rare and, unlike the bristle mushroom, have a pleasant aroma.

When it grows: from early June to mid-October in the southern regions of the Eurasian continent.

Where can I find: on calcareous soils of coniferous and deciduous forests. Prefers to grow next to oak trees.

Eating: not used.

Use in folk medicine: does not apply.

Other names: fat bristly, spiny-headed fly agaric.

Poisonous fly agaric mushroom bright yellow

hat bright yellow fly agaric(Amanita gemmata)(diameter 4-12 cm), as the name implies, yellow or ocher, with grooved edges, over time changes shape from convex to almost prostrate. Smooth to the touch, may have a small amount of whitish scales.

Leg (height 5-11 cm): white or yellowish, with a pronounced ring, which often disappears in mature mushrooms. Usually smooth, sometimes with slight pubescence, very fragile.

Doubles: toadstool (Amanita citrina) and yellow-brown (Amanita fulva). But when cut, the toadstool gives off the smell of raw potatoes, and the yellow-brown leg has no thickening and no remnants of a covering.

When it grows: from the beginning of May to mid-September in countries of the Eurasian continent with a temperate climate.

Where can I find: on sandy soils of all types of forests.

Eating: not used.

Use in folk medicine: does not apply.

Other names: straw yellow fly agaric.

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It is not for nothing that this representative of the mushroom kingdom is mentioned in ancient Russian fairy tales: people have been using its healing properties for a long time.

The fly agaric mushroom, despite its toxicity, in some cases helps people overcome certain ailments, acting as an antibiotic or antitumor agent. Let's find out what it is, where it grows, what it is like, and which species it is better to pass by so as not to get poisoned.

What is the fly agaric mushroom?

fly agaric– Amanita

Mushroom representatives from the Amanitaceae family, called fly agarics because they were used to exterminate flies.

Mushrooms are mostly large, with straightened legs - tubes, often widening downward.

The caps of fly agarics, effortlessly detaching from the stem, are fleshy, with poorly adherent plates of white or pale yellow tones. Hats can be flat or with bumps. They are painted in different greenish and reddish tones, sometimes white. Fragments of the bedspread remain on them in the form of scraps. The edges of the hats are ribbed, thinly fleshy or smooth.

The fly agaric pulp is white, odorous or odorless, and can change color on sections.

What are fly agaric mushrooms?

Having listed the species of the considerable fly agaric family, let us dwell in more detail on the most important one - the red fly agaric.

Red fly agaric mushroom

Brief description of the species

Fly agaric red— Amanita muscaria

• Where and how does it grow. Red fly agarics grow in coniferous, deciduous and mixed forests. Most often they can be found in birch groves. They begin to bear fruit in June and finish when frosts arrive.
• Mushroom cap. The fly agaric is capable of growing a cap of about 20 cm in circumference. At first it is spherical, then it becomes flat-convex.
  The hat can be orange-red or bright red: the older the fly agaric, the paler the hat. A lot of whitish or pale yellow warts are scattered on top of it, and underneath there are white plates, occasionally turning pale yellow.
• Stipe. The young leg grows fleshy, but becomes empty with age. The height of an adult mushroom is approximately 20 cm. At the base there are pale multi-row warts on the stalk, and above there is a white ring.

The white flesh of the red fly agaric has no smell. The mushroom is very toxic.

Features of the red fly agaric

You can meet the red fly agaric all over the world: you will find it in Russia, Europe, America and even on the African and Australian continents! The only way they will differ is in the color of their hats, depending on what trees the mushrooms grow under.

The presence of the following substances makes the mushroom toxic:

• muscarine,
• muscimol,
• mycoatropine,
• ibotenic acid,
• muscaridine,
• and so bright is the dye muscaruphine.

The rest of the composition is little known.

You can be seriously poisoned by just one fungus, because each of them contains a complex of potent components: muscazone, muscimol and ibotenic acid. And toxalbumin proteins are excellent at killing insects, which is why flies used to be poisoned with the infusion of fly agarics (hence the name of the mushroom).

However, the Japanese in Nagano pickle and salt them and then eat them like edible mushrooms.

Only its caps are used: they contain active substances, helping to cope with diseases. For example, muscaruphine, which has antibiotic and antitumor properties.

Interestingly, our ancestors once believed in the magic of fly agarics: they believed that mushrooms were able to remove damage and take away problems and diseases. To do this, a curse was cast on the mushrooms, then they were hidden in a bottle, filled with alcohol and buried in the ground to a depth of 2 meters.

And northern shamans ate raw fly agarics to enter a strong trance, accompanied by hallucinations.

Now you know how diverse the fly agaric mushroom is. But, even if some of them are edible, it is better to refrain from hunting fly agaric for food: there is always a risk of picking the wrong fly agaric.

Red fly agaric is a beautiful, spectacular mushroom that can affect the human psyche. It occupies an important place in the mythology of the Slavs and all European peoples, since it is not only a decoration for forests, but also a means used in magical rituals and medical practice.

Red fly agaric is a beautiful, spectacular mushroom that can affect the human psyche.

Properties of this mushroom

The red fly agaric is not always red. The color of the cap varies from bright red to orange-red and even orange. Normally, all fly agarics have white flakes on their caps, but very young and old specimens may not have them.

The fly agaric kills flies, that is, it has insecticidal properties. Our ancestors made this conclusion when they found dead flies on the mushroom cap. Most often these insects find their end on the caps of large old mushrooms. This happens not because they are especially poisonous, but because the cap of old fly agarics becomes flat and curved upward at the edges. A mushroom saucer is formed in which water stagnates. This is actually a vessel with a mushroom tincture. Insects, once in such a vessel, fall asleep and drown. You can achieve a similar effect at home by placing pieces of mushroom in a saucer of water.

The red fly agaric has always been used by the peoples of the north as an analogue of alcoholic beverages. A person who eats this mushroom falls into a state similar to severe intoxication. It can be both anger and euphoria. He may experience hallucinations with changes in the outlines of objects and their splitting. Consumption of fly agaric in large doses can lead to loss of consciousness and lethargic sleep, followed by amnesia.

The psychotropic effect of fly agaric is due to the presence of ibotenic acid and muscimol in it.

In folk medicine, fly agaric is used for:

Mushrooms are poured with alcohol or vodka so that they are completely covered.

• hypertension;
• insomnia;
• malignant neoplasms;
• joint diseases;
• helminthiasis;
• colds;
• dermatitis;
• radiation ulcers;
• epilepsy, chorea, tics;
• alcoholism;
• psychosis of any origin;
• depression;
• headaches of various origins;
• inappropriate behavior;
• convulsions, paralysis;
• sclerosis;
• angina pectoris accompanied by pain;
• the appearance of ulcers in the oral mucosa;
• digestive problems, accompanied by belching, nausea, vomiting, heaviness and pain in the stomach;
• bronchitis with a strong dry cough;
• tuberculosis;
• bronchial asthma;
• diabetes mellitus;
• muscle pain;
• overwork;
• eye and ear diseases.

This list of diseases cannot be considered complete. In official and folk medicine there is one unspoken rule - the more side effects exhibits this drug, the stronger it acts. Poisonous plants widely used in the fight against many diseases. It is enough to give the example of dope and belladonna. The use of fly agaric in folk medicine only confirms this rule.

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Places of growth

Representatives of this genus are common in the northern hemisphere, that is, in Eurasia and America. In these regions, the red fly agaric prefers the zone temperate climate, predominantly plains or midlands. The red fly agaric is a typical forest mushroom that grows in mixed forests. It is capable of forming mycorrhiza with spruce and birch. It can be found in pure spruce and birch forests, but it manifests itself to its maximum in communities with the presence of two of its symbiont species. Seasonal rhythm is typical for most mushrooms in the temperate climate zone. You can see fly agarics in all their glory in our forests from the second half of summer until the first frost.
IN magical practice the red fly agaric was used to put shamans into a trance state. The special properties of the mushroom were also used to give warriors rage and fearlessness. Used in large quantities, it causes vasodilation, reduces cardiac output, and forms a typical picture of poisoning.

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Healing potions and how to prepare them

The following medications can be prepared from the caps of this mushroom:

1. Tincture for rubbing. To prepare it, you need to take 3-4 caps, keep them for 2 days in a cool, dark place, crumble them, and put them in a bowl. Mushrooms are poured with alcohol or vodka so that they are completely covered. You also need to insist in a dark, cool place for 15 days. Then the mushrooms are filtered and thrown away. The tincture is used for rubbing for diseases of the joints and spine.
2. Homeopathic tincture for oral administration. First you need to squeeze the juice out of the red fly agaric cap. Then 29 clean vials are prepared, designed for 20-30 ml. You need to pour 10 ml of vodka into each of them. After this, 2 drops of mushroom juice are added to one of the bubbles. The bottle is sealed and its contents are shaken several times. Then you need to take 2 drops of the solution from this bottle and transfer them to another bottle. This solution is also shaken well, after which 2 drops of this solution are transferred to the next bottle.

The procedure is sequentially repeated until all the bubbles are filled. After this, you need to take 20 drops from the last bottle and place them in a bowl containing 100 ml of vodka. Shake it well. This is the desired potion. It should be taken 5 drops at a time with water. Frequency of administration: 1-2 times a day, morning and evening. As soon as a positive effect is observed, you need to take the tincture less often - up to 2-3 times a month.

Medicinal products are made only from the caps of the red fly agaric. You cannot collect the royal fly agaric, which is characterized by red-brown shades, for these purposes. In order not to make a mistake and really collect red fly agaric, you need to take only mushrooms with a bright red cap. Psychotropic toxins in the mushroom are distributed unevenly. Most of them are concentrated in the cap, less at the base of the stem, and very few in the stem itself. In spring and summer, fly agaric contains 10 times more ibotenic acid and muscimol than in autumn.

Fly agaric ointment. Used for serious lesions of the skin and mucous membrane. Can also be used for radiation injuries. It is better to choose the main agent for forming the ointment with neutral properties. Vaseline or glycerin work well. Add a few drops to the base ointment alcohol tincture mushroom and stir well. The proportions depend on individual characteristics, the degree of damage and the volume of the ointment. It is better to start with small doses, increasing them as a positive or negative reaction of the body appears. Usually improvement occurs within the first week of treatment. However, care should be taken if there are fresh cuts on the skin as poisonous substance red fly agaric can get into the blood.

A beautiful fungus, what can I say. Bright, elegant...

The most recognizable is the hat. As a rule, it is very large, its diameter can reach 30 centimeters, sometimes even more if the humidity is high and the soil is well fertilized with organic matter and rotted leaves. The thickness reaches 5 centimeters, but the average cap grows only to 2.5-3 centimeters. The shape varies. The young mushroom resembles an ordinary champignon, has an oval top with a smooth skin, over time it becomes like a cone, and at the stage of biological maturity it can curl upward like that of chanterelles, taking on a funnel-shaped shape.

You can only identify an adult mushroom by the color of the hat: it becomes completely red and white spots appear. This dark red color is noticeable from several tens of meters away, while young specimens are practically invisible - a light orange tint to the surface without any identifying spots.

As the cap matures, it develops white projections that grow up to 12mm in height.

The smell of the mushroom is unique, it is very difficult to confuse it, so if you are not sure about the edibility of a forest representative, trust your sense of smell. When the hat is broken, a milky juice is released, which smells like fresh potatoes. The leg is large, the diameter reaches 35 mm, and the height reaches 300 mm, depending on the amount of moisture that is in the forest. The surface is smooth, but often some of the skin from the hat, the outer shell, remains on it, so you just have to look to see if there is a shaggy rim.

The flesh of the leg is fleshy, heavy, and when cut it forms a lot of milky juice, which when interacting with oxygen becomes bluish in color.

Where can you most often meet a dangerous guest?

“Red caps” grow almost over the entire area of ​​each birch forest; they are also very often found in mixed forests, where relative humidity does not fall below 85% for a long time. For their development, nutritious black soils are needed, a lot organic matter, it is desirable to have pine needles, as well as humus from the leaves. Very often they grow next to porcini mushrooms.

To date greatest number Such bright mushrooms can be found in Northern Europe, forests of Siberia, foothill areas, directly in the mountains at an altitude of 1000 to 2000 meters, which are characterized by deciduous and mixed forests. Fly agarics love open places where Sun rays there are approximately 3-4 hours a day, that is, small clearings in open forest. In too rare forests they are found under trees, mainly on the north side, growing alone or in small groups of 4-5 pieces, very rarely more of them grow. Some varieties can form groups of 10-12 pieces, e.g. Royal. It is not found in the steppe.

You can see the first specimens already in June, but the bulk of them emerge from the ground only in early August. The abundant harvest in the forest begins around September, when all the clearings are dotted with them. But is this harvest worth harvesting?

Is there any danger?

Is it as scary as the fly agaric, the description of which we discussed above, looks like? The poison is not 100% fatal, as many are accustomed to reading from scientific literature and magazines. In fact, to get lethal dose poison for a person you need to eat about 300 grams of mushrooms at the stage of technical maturity. In moderate quantities, they cause poisoning, or more precisely, hallucinations followed by food poisoning.

Despite what is written about it, some people use it specifically as a medicine. Experienced mushroom pickers even use it as food to calm them down. nervous system, since in small quantities the mushroom is not only harmless, but even useful, especially for digestive system. But remember that You can’t experiment with and eat poisonous mushrooms, since an overdose of a few grams can result not even in food poisoning, but in death.

Do you consider fly agarics to be meaningless decorations of the forest? Very much in vain. The mushroom is very useful in the household and is often used to kill flies. Finely chopped, it strongly attracts flies, which fly from all corners of your house, eat to their heart's content and immediately die. This is where the name of this specimen “fly” and “pestilence” came from.

The fungus will bring even more benefits if you sprinkle the chopped cap with honey syrup - all the flies in the room will definitely flock to the feast, after which they will definitely not fly anymore.

Porridge made from pulp helps with rheumatism, inflammation of the joints - it is much better than any imported ointment, and many pharmaceutical products contain ibetic acid, muximol, muscazone, which large quantities are in the mushroom.

The most terrible “inhabitant” of the forest has become a savior for thousands of patients with dysfunction musculoskeletal system. It helps not only eliminate symptoms, but even completely get rid of the disease for many years. When using drugs, it is advisable to consult a doctor, since they are conditionally dangerous and are not suitable for hypertensive patients or allergy sufferers. Hide medicines from children - they can cause severe poisoning!

We have known what a fly agaric looks like since childhood, even if we have only seen the forest in a picture. This mushroom is very elegant, which is why artists who illustrate children’s books love to draw it. Is there any Interesting Facts about fly agarics? It turns out there is!

Fact #1: Celebrity!

The fly agaric is not only the most famous, but also the most recognizable mushroom - 96% of Europeans surveyed recognized it in the picture. For comparison: White mushroom only 53% found out.

Fact #2: The name speaks for itself

In all countries, fly agaric was used to get rid of annoying insects, mainly flies. In Rus', for example, pieces of fly agaric were poured with milk, covered with a cloth so that it was convenient for flies to sit down, and placed in a place where they accumulated. The flies drank the poisoned milk and after a while fell immobilized. Hence the name: “mukho” - fly, “mor” - death. It turns out - death to flies or death to flies.

Fact #3: They are different.

Fly agaric mushrooms are divided into several types. One of distinctive features between them is the color of the caps. The most poisonous fly agaric, the panther fly agaric, has a brown-gray cap with white dots. But the bright red fly agaric is the least poisonous.

Fact No. 4: and a delicacy too

Caesar mushroom, which is also a fly agaric, is considered a delicacy. It grows on the coast Mediterranean Sea in the countries of Southern Europe, it is distinguished by a brown cap without spots. When prepared correctly, the Caesar mushroom is a finger-licking delicacy!

Fact #5: Polka Dot Fabric

They say that designers came up with polka dot fabric while looking at fly agaric mushrooms.

Fact #6: The secret of Viking fearlessness

The Vikings terrified the entire area. The enemy knew that the Vikings were not afraid of anything. And the secret of this fearlessness turned out to be simple. Before the battle, the Vikings drank an infusion of fly agarics, which endowed them with immunity to pain and almost crazy fearlessness. The warriors felt invulnerable and easily went even to certain death.

Fact #7: Hemp is lost as we age.

It turns out that the poison of the red fly agaric is in high concentration in the white dots on the cap. The young fly agaric has a lot of them. The older the fly agaric, the fewer points On him.

Fact #8: Worms eat them!

Mushroom pickers say: “A worm does not eat a poisonous mushroom.” But the worms love the red fly agaric, although in its raw form it is a very poisonous mushroom. Yes, and you need to know how to cook it...

Fact No. 9: fly agaric recipe

This recipe applies to the preparation of red fly agarics, but by no means others. So - if you're not sure, don't take risks! Collect fly agarics, peel off the spots and the surface skin of the caps, rinse and boil twice for 20 minutes in boiling water, then fry. They say it's delicious. Probably, those who survived say.

Fact #10: Good pain reliever

Witch doctors claim that properly collected and dried fly agaric mushrooms are an excellent pain reliever that can ease the suffering of people suffering from advanced forms. oncological diseases and forced to take narcotic drugs to relieve pain. A decoction of fly agarics helps to quickly cope with pain and live out the allotted time with dignity.

Fact No. 11: Shamans' medicine

In order for the shaman to reach an exalted state, he drinks a special tincture or smokes a special composition. Shamans of many nations drank fly agaric tincture and smoked a certain type of fly agaric in order to “see the light” and “communicate with the gods.” However, don't rush to be a shaman. Instead of expanding your spiritual vision, you can get banal poisoning with a sad outcome.

Fact No. 12: the fly agaric is the same, but the action is different

The same fly agaric will act differently on infants, adults and old people, healthy and sick people. It all depends on the physiology of the body. To become poisoned, a healthy adult needs to eat 15 red fly agaric mushrooms. But for the sick, the elderly and small children, just one piece is enough.

Fact #13: Controversial mushroom

In 1869, the Germans discovered that fly agaric contains 2 poisons: muscarine and muscaridine. In experiments on animals, they proved that muscarine has a detrimental effect on the kidneys, leading to the death of the animal. Muscaridine causes hallucinations and delusions, while simultaneously blocking the action of muscarine, which protects the animal from death.

Fact No. 14: everything new is well forgotten old

Previously, fly agaric tinctures were very common. Healers used them to treat almost all diseases. Then they forgot about it, but now the fly agaric has again come to the attention of scientists with the aim of studying it in more detail and inventing new medicines.

Fact No. 15: clearly in stages

Fly agaric poisoning has three distinct stages:

1. pleasant excitement, unmotivated fun, increased endurance and strength;
2. hallucinations (voices, visions, distortion of space), lethargy, inappropriate behavior;
3. loss of contact with reality, severe anxiety, narcotic sleep.

The third stage can be fatal.

Fact #16: A cure for cancer

Healers claim that fly agaric tea is early stage can cure cancer, but scientists have not yet confirmed this.

Fact #17: The Japanese are omnivorous

Residents of Japan (especially Nagano Prefecture) eat fly agarics as food. Cooking recipes are passed down from generation to generation and do not cause any surprise to anyone.

Fact No. 18: fly agaric companions

Mushroom pickers noticed: I saw the cap of a fly agaric, be more careful - boletus and porcini mushrooms were hiding nearby.

Fact #19: Animal Medicine

Fact No. 20: let's look into the dream book

The dream book states:

If you were poisoned by fly agaric in a dream, you will have a pleasant conversation with friends;

Just ate a fly agaric - expect uninvited guests;

If you try to feed someone fly agarics yourself, you will ruin your relationship with him in reality.