# Help with mushroom ID **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 2, 2022, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mushroom-id/972582 "2022-10-02T16:14:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2022, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mushroom-id/972582/1 "2022-10-02T16:14:20Z")
In the past I’ve enjoyed a very I a very introductory interest in mushrooms. Saw and identified a few but ran across one today I’ve never seen. I’m not interested in edible mushrooms, just curious what this might be. My attempts to identify it online were met with failure. It’s about 6” diameter. [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/fa2eac24-a10b-4ba6-a941-f2a9e48cef85.jpeg) ](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/fa2eac24-a10b-4ba6-a941-f2a9e48cef85.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2022, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mushroom-id/972582/2 "2022-10-02T16:17:40Z")
Strange, it looks like the top was eaten by insects or something, with the gills left behind… ---
**Author:** ![Ziberian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/919ad9/32.png) [@Ziberian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ziberian)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2022, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mushroom-id/972582/3 "2022-10-02T16:18:15Z")
It’s hard to be sure from the photo, but it looks like something has been eating it from the top down. If you can imagine it with a white cap, that might help identify it. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2022, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mushroom-id/972582/4 "2022-10-02T16:47:56Z")
Ahh, I see that now. It looked like a frothy white top with fringe but I seen now you are probably right, common white cap that’s been eaten away. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2022, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mushroom-id/972582/5 "2022-10-02T20:47:30Z")
Does anyone else look at that photo and see the little specks _moving around_? 😲 ---
**Author:** ![TimfromNapa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@TimfromNapa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimfromNapa)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mushroom-id/972582/6 "2022-10-03T18:43:40Z")
No id is possible given the lack of visible characteristics. The cap has largely been consumed by insects and/or their larvae. The stipe is not visible, so it is not possible to see whether the gills are attached to it or not, and the anulus or lack thereof cannot be seen. Spoor color is not evident and the base of the stipe is not visible. Most, if not all of these features are necessary for any hope of id other than to say it is a gilled mushroom.