Squirrel Mushrooms

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Squirrel Mushrooms
Photo Information
Copyright: Vanessa Duley (wrangell) (0)
Genre: Fungi
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-03-22
Categories: Fungi
Camera: Cannon AE1, Cannon 50mm, f1.8
Exposure: f/4.1
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-03-30 2:03
Viewed: 785
Points: 3
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Polyporus (Piptoporus)betulinus: 'Birch polypore'

This is a somewhat bitter tasting mushroom that grows, as the name states, mostly on dead birch. It's edibility is unknown to humans but I discovered this spring that the squirrels seem to like it. I found many, many, many new growth mushrooms (this type turns hard or cork-ish when older) that had the rims and the underside, where the absent gills would lie, meticulously eaten away by the rodents. I could see teeth marks from the front two teeth of the critters, and since 10-20 mushrooms had been eaten from, reaching to 20 feet high, on any given trunk I presumed that it must be from squirrels though there might be other rodents that enjoy the treat at lower levels as well.

I am not sure if it is a common food or if it has become a subsistence food for this particular season and year. I can't think of any particular reason this year is different than any other if not simply less snow, but I have also failed to notice this eating habit before... perhaps I simply needed to look closer!
uleko, waminda2020 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2297 W: 163 N: 6694] (21146)
  • [2008-04-14 2:42]

Hello Vanessa,
Welcome to TN! You have a fine capture of bracket fungi from Alaska and I find your note very interesting. Maybe the Squirrels fancy this kind of food but there may be other rodents too that like it. This is a fine sharp capture illustrating the gnaw marks! THis is well composed too. I look forward to more pictures from Alaska!
TFS and best wishes, Ulla
Sorry, P later.

welcome to TN - interesting photo

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