2024 was a bittersweet year for me. Wonderful moments shared with my dog, friends & family and also sad times around the same. I would like to thank everyone for their empathy and wisdom: for being so kind to me throughout this thing called life – both friends and strangers alike. I am thankful and so very grateful to all who allowed me to grieve in my own way – being there when I needed company, understanding when I needed space and supporting me no matter what. I am so very lucky.

My travels into the forests in 2024 became focused on the amazing mushrooms who manage to find their way to the light even though the going is tough. Springing up from their mycelia, punching through obstacles in their path to emerge triumphant from the underground. I know mushrooms are teachers and I never felt it so much as I did in 2024.

I’m posting all my 2024 photos in this one post. Found From October – December on Mount Elphinstone, in Sprockets Park and on Soames Hill. Thank you to everyone Addie Fern and I met in the woods this year. It was wonderful exchanging information about locations where we found loads of lobsters (they seemed to be everywhere), chanties (so many, and until mid December!) and pines (two wonderful days of tripping over them on Elphie before the wind storms blew up, felling trees and making the trails impassable and unsafe). Thank you to my new city friends who came for their first time foraging.
It was a wonderful season for my beautiful Addie Fern and me. She and Meron are forever in my heart and forever racing through the forest.

So, let’s get to the photos of these wonderful beauties. I know you know who they are.

Walking around getting lost in Sprockids today and found lots of lobsters. Most were being hosts to a variety of bug life – lucky bugs. But quite a few had this lovely white, non-buggy interior and hadn’t been slimed by slugs.

Here’s one we’re calling the “thumbs-up” lobster.

pssst… Wanna see some absolutely pristine lobsters? Check out the Ontario Mushrooms

About The Lobster Mushroom  (Hypomyces lactifluorum)

The Lobster mushroom, Hypomyces lactifluorum, contrary to its common name, is not a mushroom, but rather a parasitic ascomycete fungus that grows on certain species of mushrooms, turning them a reddish orange color that resembles the outer shell of a cooked lobster. H. lactifluorum specifically attacks members of the genera Lactarius and Lactifluus (milk-caps), and Russula (brittlegills), such as Russula brevipes and Lactifluus piperatus in North America. At maturity, H. lactifluorum thoroughly covers its host, rendering it unidentifiable. Lobster mushrooms have a seafood-like flavor and a firm, dense texture. According to some, they may taste somewhat spicy if the host mushroom is an acrid Lactarius.

More information: Hypomyces lactifluorum: Wikipedia

And we’re back licking our lips, I mean searching for lobster mushrooms in Horton, Ontario.

Although the abundance of lobsters we experienced in 2015 is not to be found (due to cottage renovations) we did find 20 orange beauties in their prime peaking out from fallen leaves.

They were a little later coming – due to the extremely hot weather this year? We did blow out the thermometer that only went up to 55° C. So it was mid-late August we found the beauties. And even in September we are still finding them but the humidity has gotten to these and they are soft but sometimes a brilliant red. Who doesn’t get excited seeing lobster mushrooms, even if they are past eating they are still so darn fun!

The first lobster of 2018. August 08. Yes McDowell danced for joy.

Small collection of the lobsters that popped up after a huge thunderstorm!

Clouds and sunsets combined over the lake in Horton Township, Ontario for evening gatherings to taste the summer lobsters mushrooms.

About The Lobster Mushroom  (Hypomyces lactifluorum)

The Lobster mushroom, Hypomyces lactifluorum, contrary to its common name, is not a mushroom, but rather a parasitic ascomycete fungus that grows on certain species of mushrooms, turning them a reddish orange color that resembles the outer shell of a cooked lobster. H. lactifluorum specifically attacks members of the genera Lactarius and Lactifluus (milk-caps), and Russula (brittlegills), such as Russula brevipes and Lactifluus piperatus in North America. At maturity, H. lactifluorum thoroughly covers its host, rendering it unidentifiable. Lobster mushrooms have a seafood-like flavor and a firm, dense texture. According to some, they may taste somewhat spicy if the host mushroom is an acrid Lactarius.

More information: Hypomyces lactifluorum: Wikipedia

Who knew a stint at the family cottage in Ontario would mean an abundance of lobster mushrooms!

To be factually correct lobster mushrooms are mushrooms that have been grown over by a parasitic fungus that changes the mushroom mycelia and resulting fruiting body structure (into delicious) and turns the colour to a gorgeous lobster orange.

These stunningly beautiful lobster mushrooms were found at McDowell Lane (named for my parents), Horton Township.

In this location the H. lactifluorum fungus has overtaken Russula mushrooms.

Late July and early August – final tally is 74 found and 41 perfect beauties.

Right outside the cottage the lobsters were growing loud and proud!

Stunning colouring and gorgeous. Unique is the granular texture where the gills would be on the original mushroom.

Bright orange coating and blinding beautiful white interior. McDowell was beside herself.

A morning stroll to check on the chipmunks and this was the bounty. All this pre-coffee!

The Ontario weather means the mushrooms are firm and not water-logged as can often be the case in BC. McDowell was freaking out they were so perfect. In the pan there was no water coming out of them and no shrinkage. McDowell cooked up a big family dinner with the mushrooms and introduced 4 generations to the delicious taste of lobster mushrooms. And that’s what McDowell did on her summer holiday.

Lobster mushroom dropping spores: Beautiful, white crystalline spores.

About The Lobster Mushroom  (Hypomyces lactifluorum)

The Lobster mushroom, Hypomyces lactifluorum, contrary to its common name, is not a mushroom, but rather a parasitic ascomycete fungus that grows on certain species of mushrooms, turning them a reddish orange color that resembles the outer shell of a cooked lobster. H. lactifluorum specifically attacks members of the genera Lactarius and Lactifluus (milk-caps), and Russula (brittlegills), such as Russula brevipes and Lactifluus piperatus in North America. At maturity, H. lactifluorum thoroughly covers its host, rendering it unidentifiable. Lobster mushrooms have a seafood-like flavor and a firm, dense texture. According to some, they may taste somewhat spicy if the host mushroom is an acrid Lactarius.

More information: Hypomyces lactifluorum: Wikipedia