Fly agaric – general description and occurrence
An adult fly agaric has a stem height of approximately 20 cm and a cap diameter of approximately 20 cm. The cap of young specimens is ball-shaped, then gradually flattens to take on a recessed shape resembling a dish. The gills are pale yellow, tinged with white. They are densely arranged and free, that is, they are not attached to the stem.
Juveniles have crowns covered with a white covering. As the fungus grows, it disappears, leaving characteristic white dots on the red cap. The mushroom has a white stem and white flesh that gives off a slight odor.
The fly agaric is very widespread all over the world, practically throughout the temperate climatic zone, although it is also present in warmer regions of the world such as the Mediterranean basin or Central America. It is a typical species of Central European forests, also very common in Poland. It grows between August and November, most commonly in coniferous forests, but is also found in deciduous forests.
Fly agaric – poisoning
The fly agaric is listed in all mushroom atlases as a poisonous species. It contains toxic substances such as muscarine, ibotenic acid and muscimol. The main symptoms of poisoning are shortness of breath, vomiting and diarrhea, as well as hallucinations. It is suspected that ibotenic acid is mainly responsible. Hallucinations involve severe disruptions in the sense of time and space that result in a feeling of general disorientation. These effects may wear off after just two hours, after which unstoppable drowsiness sets in. It is not uncommon for changes in consciousness to persist for more than 24 hours. Young specimens generally contain more substances than older ones, but concentrations vary so much that it is extremely difficult to estimate what doses of poisons may be contained in individual mushrooms.
Fly agaric poisoning is extremely rare due to the characteristic and well-known appearance of the fungus. They most commonly occur in young children and young adults experimenting with psychoactive substances and knowingly consuming these mushrooms. Fatal poisonings are very rare, and fly agaric does not cause long-term damage to internal organs. The danger is more related to accidents that can occur when the poisoned person is intoxicated. Most reports of deaths from eating fly agaric actually involve the spotted fly agaric, which differs slightly in appearance (brown cap instead of red) but has a much higher concentration of toxic substances.
Interesting facts about red mushroom
The name “poisonous mushroom” comes from the fact that this mushroom was once used as a fly repellent. The flies died after contact with the toadstool. Interestingly, the fungus does not kill them, but paralyzes them for several days.
The psychoactive effects of fly agaric have been known since ancient times. It is known that Siberian shamans used this mushroom to induce a mystical trance, during which they contacted the souls of the dead and predicted the future. Because fly agaric causes serious digestive problems, shamans, instead of eating fresh mushrooms, drank the urine of those who had previously consumed them. Most toxins in fly agaric are not metabolized, but the body excretes them this way.
Although there are many recipes on the Internet on how to prepare fly agaric for poisoning, such experiments should be strongly discouraged. The dose of psychoactive substances is practically impossible to predict, so in extreme cases it can lead to severe poisoning or intoxication so strong that the person under the influence of fly agaric will completely lose contact with reality.
However, if we are curious about the effects of this mushroom, we can always read the literature. American writer Thomas Pynchon, in his famous novel “Gravity’s Rainbow”, included a suggestive description of getting “high” after smoking dried fly agaric added to a cigarette.
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