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Domestic dung is a representative of the Psatirella family, the genus Koprinellus or Dung. The only synonym for the name of this species is the ancient Greek term Coprinus domesticus.
Where does the dung beetle grow
The optimal time for fruiting is from May to September. In most cases, it grows on stumps, small fallen branches, and also on or near the dead decaying trunks of deciduous trees. Gives preference to aspens and birches. Sometimes this specimen can be found nearby with wooden buildings. As a rule, these mushrooms grow one at a time, in rare cases they form small groups. They are quite rare in nature.
What does a dung beetle look like?
The fruit body of the domestic dung beetle is presented in the form of a cap and a leg with the following characteristics.
- At the initial stage of development, the cap has an elliptical or ovoid shape. As it matures, it becomes bell-shaped, and after a while it becomes half-extended with a clearly noticeable tubercle in the middle. Depending on the shape, the size of the cap varies from 2.5 to 6.5 cm in diameter. The skin is light ocher or brown with a darker spot in the center. The young cap of this specimen is covered with a fine grainy coating of white, which disappears in adulthood. On its inner side, there are thin, frequent, wide and white plates, which eventually change their color to a brown or dark brown tone with light specks. Spore powder, black.
- The stem is cylindrical, thickened at the base, 4-8 cm long, and about 5 mm thick in diameter. The inside is hollow, fragile, smooth, white or cream-colored. The base is swollen, covered with a yellowish-brown bloom, consisting of vegetative mycelium hyphae (ozonium).
- Spores are bean-curved, cylindrical, smooth, dark brown or black in color.
- The flesh is thin, fibrous in the stem, and elastic in the cap. It is painted white, does not have a pronounced odor.
The main differences between an old mushroom and a young one are as follows: black plates, a spread shape of the cap, the absence or rare arrangement of flaky scales on the surface.
Is it possible to eat homemade dung beetle
This specimen is not recommended for use as food, as it is classified as an inedible mushroom. There is no information about its toxicity. Due to the small size of the fruiting body, as well as for a number of other reasons, it is not particularly valuable in cooking.
Similar species
The most similar species is a representative of the same family as the specimen in question, called Shimmering Dung.
At the initial stage, this mushroom has an egg-shaped cap, later it becomes bell-shaped, and then prostrate. On the inside, there are frequent and white plates, which begin to darken with age. Black spore powder. Thus, this species is similar to the domestic dung beetle in many respects.However, a distinctive feature is the small size of the fruit body of the twin, and on the surface of the cap there are shiny scales that are easily washed off under running water. In addition, this variety lacks the rusty-brown mycelium on the leg, which is inherent in homemade dung beetle. Despite the fact that the doppelganger is an edible mushroom, it is not endowed with canceled palatability.
Conclusion
Domestic dung is one of the rarest mushrooms of the Psatirella family. It is inherent in it to grow one at a time or in small groups on stumps or rotten deciduous trees. Thus, this specimen can be found not only in the forest, but also outside it, for example, in a park or near wooden buildings. Having noticed this specimen, do not forget that it belongs to the category of inedible mushrooms.
