Mushroom dangers and what to know

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The abundance of rain we’ve seen in the cape fear in recent weeks creates ideal conditions for mushrooms, which may tempt your pet or child into doing something risky. 

Mushrooms are the “fruiting body” of a fungi. They sit at the bottom of our ecosystem as decomposers. 

While seeing a cluster of them is not unusual, it’s important to know what to do with them if you have small kids or pets.   

Gabriella de Souza is a consumer horticulture agent with the N-C Cooperative Extension Office in Wilmington.  

If your child or pet has ingested any type of mushroom, de Souza says — treat it like a medical emergency. 

“A lot of mushrooms are very toxic to both pets and, you know, humans, tiny humans especially, and so the sooner that they can get that treatment from a medical professional the better,” said de Souza.  

North Carolina is home to a diverse range of mushrooms, with 3 thousand known species. It is best to just let them do their thing so they can continue to contribute to our ecosystem in a positive way.