A bright yellow disc emerged as if by magic in my woodland yard following recent rains. Its luminous glow against the dark forest terrain caught my eye and encouraged closer inspection of this new fungal neighbor.

My ephemeral friend turned out to be a fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) just beginning to fade from its golden glory. A member of the genus Amanita, fly agaric fungi are fairly widespread and common in the Upper Delaware River region.

Their caps can reach sizes of roughly eight inches (this one was approximately seven) and are typically topped with light brown wart-like patches that are crusty in appearance. Gills on the underside are white or cream-colored, with white or yellowish stalks that are scaly near the base.

George Barron in his excellent field guide “Mushrooms of Northeast North America” notes that Amanita have great ecological significance in forests as suppliers of nutrients to both coniferous and hardwood trees. He adds that fly agaric is “a source of hallucinogenic compounds (muscimole and ibotenic acid) and is believed by some to be deeply involved in prehistoric rituals and the origins of religion.”

It is important to note that some members of the genus Amanita contain deadly toxins capable of causing painful and premature death and should not be considered edible. Fly agaric contains the toxin muscarine, which can cause its victims to experience excessive activity in the salivary glands, sweat glands and tear ducts, as well as to experience asthmatic symptoms.

Best to leave this neighbor alone. Fly agaric doesn’t linger long and will soon disappear from the local landscape. Enjoy it while it lasts by feasting with the eyes only!