How to make a spore print

Spores are the equivalent of seeds for fungi. You can also make a spore print for yourself. These prints make beautiful patterns. Mycologists (people who study fungi) use spore prints to help them identify different types of fungi.

You can do this with any type of capped mushroom with gills or pores (see the WildSquare survey sheet to see what these are). If you don’t want to pick wild mushrooms or can’t find any you can even do this with a mushroom from the supermarket. Choose one that is fresh and has got an open cap where you can see the gills or pores easily.

1. Cut the stem off your mushroom and place the cap gill side down on of a piece of paper.
    If the gills on the mushroom are dark, try using white, yellow or light blue paper, if the gills are white, try using black paper or a bright colour like blue, red or green.
2. Cover the mushroom with a glass tumbler or a bowl to stop air getting to it.
3. Leave the spore print for a few hours or preferably overnight.
4. Gently remove the glass and lift the cap to see your print.
5. If you want to keep your spore print you can spray it with hairspray. Be careful not to spray it too close or the force of the spray may blow away your spores, hold the spray about 30cm away and let it fall gently on to the print.

Don't forget some types of fungi can be deadly poisonous. Never eat a wild mushroom unless an expert has told you it's safe and always wash your hands thoroughly after touching them.