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Who’s Eating My Hat? The apex of the Witch’s Cap mushroom is either being consumed by this unknown insect, now very much dead, or the insect became trapped in the waxy cap and the ensuing decay started the cap to also decay. Many thanks to Lisa Kimmerling for the ID. Canada,Fall,Geotagged,Hygrocybe conica,Witch's hat Click/tap to enlarge

Who’s Eating My Hat?

The apex of the Witch’s Cap mushroom is either being consumed by this unknown insect, now very much dead, or the insect became trapped in the waxy cap and the ensuing decay started the cap to also decay. Many thanks to Lisa Kimmerling for the ID.

    comments (4)

  1. View Flown Kimmerling's profile
    Flown Kimmerling
    Lion
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    It is no problem!

    Very cool capture, Gary!! A lot of your slimy mushrooms are insect traps!     Posted 6 years ago
    1. View gary fast's profile
      gary fast
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      Never crossed my mind till now. Fascinating for sure. Posted 6 years ago
  3. View Christine Young's profile
    Christine Young
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    Interesting. I never considered that insects would get stuck to slimy caps. Posted 6 years ago
    1. View gary fast's profile
      gary fast
      Lion
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      Me too! Never really gave it a thought... till I saw this entrapped fellow. Posted 6 years ago

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The Witch's hat

"Hygrocybe conica", commonly known as the witch's hat, conical wax cap or conical slimy cap, is a colourful member of the genus "Hygrocybe", found across northern Europe and North America. Originally described as "Hygrophorus conicus", it may be a complex of closely related and similar species.

Info 17 0
Similar species: Agaricales
Species identified by gary fast
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By gary fast

All rights reserved
Uploaded Oct 25, 2018. Captured Oct 22, 2018 11:02 in Carrington Bay Rd, Whaletown, BC V0P 1Z0, Canada.
country flag of Canada Explore Canada 1,925 859 0
  • E-M5MarkII
  • f/20.0
  • 1/250s
  • ISO640
  • 60mm
Captured in the fall. More fall photos.