As autumn arrives, mushrooms and toadstools begin popping up, emerging out of old tree stumps and appearing in the most unexpected places. Grab your walking boots, keep your eyes peeled and discover some of Wiltshire’s fascinating fungi.

Where to Look

Woodlands are a treasure trove for fungi hunters. Peek beneath fallen leaves, around tree roots and across rotting logs, where an incredible variety of fungi quietly can appear. Most favour damp, shady spots, but some are sun-seekers too, so don't just stick to the shadows!

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s Ravensroost Wood is a particularly exciting destination for fungi seekers. More than 450 species have been recorded here, including Jelly Brain (a fungus shaped like a brain that feeds on other fungi living on deadwood). Meanwhile, at Clouts Wood, look out for woodland fungi in all sorts of places, from deadwood loving Velvet Shanks to shaggy Parasols growing in the leaf litter. 

At Biss Wood, part of the Green Lane Woodland complex, 435 species of fungi have been spotted. Keep your eyes peeled for turquoise Green Elf Cups, Lilac Bonnets, and the grossly named Dog Vomit Slime Mould!

You don’t need to visit a nature reserve, though. Fungi can be found in gardens, parks, fields and woodlands throughout the year, particularly during a wet autumn. Even a fallen branch in your garden could become home to an unexpected discovery.

From Familiar Fungi to Fantastic Finds

I'm sure we've all spotted a Fly Agaric, with its iconic red cap and white spots, or a Turkeytail, growing in colourful, overlapping fans on a dead tree stump. But the fungal kingdom has plenty more surprises up its sleeve. Look a little closer and you'll find some wonderfully weird characters hiding among the leaves and logs.

This autumn, keep an eye out for these unusual finds…

Dryad’s Saddle

This impressive bracket fungus can grow to an enormous size, appearing in tiers along tree trunks. Its cream-coloured cap is decorated with brown scales, giving it another name: Pheasant’s Back. Look underneath and you’ll find hundreds of tiny pores rather than the gills you might expect on a mushroom. It can even smell a bit like watermelon!

Devil’s Fingers

If you stumbled across this fungus unexpectedly, you might wonder whether something had escaped from a science-fiction film. Its bright red, tentacle-like arms emerge from a gelatinous egg, spreading out like a strange underwater creature. Its rotting meat smell attracts insects, which help spread its spores.

Stinkhorn

Another fungus with an unforgettable name, the Stinkhorn looks unusual and smells even worse! Its brown cap is covered in stinky slime that attracts flies who help spread its spores. It might not win any beauty contests, but it has a clever reproductive strategy.

Jelly Ear

Looking like its namesake, this curious fungus grows in soft, rubbery folds on dead and decaying wood, particularly elder. Its brown, ear-shaped fruiting bodies can feel gelatinous, especially when damp. During dry weather, they shrivel and become harder, but plump up again when moisture returns. It might not be the prettiest fungus in the woods, but its unusual shape makes it a satisfying spot!

Why Fungi are Fantastic

The mushrooms we see are just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. Beneath the surface, an extraordinary hidden world is at work. Much of a fungus is made up of mycelium, a vast network of fine threads spreading through soil and dead wood, often going unnoticed beneath our feet.

Fungi are nature's recyclers, quietly breaking down fallen leaves, dead branches and other organic matter, returning valuable nutrients to the soil. Others form remarkable partnerships with plant roots, helping them access water and nutrients in exchange for sugars.

It's a wonderfully interconnected world, and without fungi, our ecosystems simply wouldn't function in the same way. They might not always be the most glamorous residents of our woodlands, but these unsung heroes are busy keeping the whole place ticking along.

Become a Fungi Spotter

You don't need specialist equipment or expert knowledge to become a fungi spotter. All you really need is a curious eye, a camera or phone and a willingness to slow down. Look beneath leaves, inspect fallen branches and take a closer look at tree trunks. Photograph your finds from different angles and make a note of where you spotted them. You might be surprised by the miniature worlds you uncover on an otherwise ordinary walk.

Remember to tread carefully. Stick to paths where required, avoid trampling surrounding vegetation and leave fungi where they grow for others to enjoy. And while some wild mushrooms are edible, never rely on a photograph or app identification to decide whether something is safe to eat. Some poisonous species look spookily similar to edible ones.

Your discoveries can also help us learn more about Wiltshire's wildlife. If you spot something interesting, why not submit your sighting through iRecord? Wiltshire and Swindon Biological Records Centre collects wildlife records that help monitor changes in species and habitats across the county.

So next time you head out for a walk, take a moment to look down. There's a whole other world growing beneath your feet, full of curious shapes, unexpected colours and some seriously strange characters. You never know what you might find!