Here is a photo of these mushrooms. They are called Dryad Saddles (Polyporus squamosus). Some folks call them Grouse Wings.
Since Dryad Saddles like to grow on Elms, they were plentiful... I was in a large patch of elm trees. I could have gathered some of these mushrooms for eating, but I didn't think we would enjoy their smell or flavor. Bill Russell, in his book, Field Guide to the Wild Mushrooms of Pennsylvania And the Mid-atlantic
He also says, "Someone with a powerful imagination long ago thought that they would make good riding saddles for fairies and such creatures."
Here is a photo of a Dryad Saddle growing out of a moss-covered fallen log.
The underside of the cap of Dryad saddles (Polyporus squamosus) is all pores.
I took some photos of the slugs feeding on the mushrooms.
Large or small, the slugs seem to have a good life with all these large mushrooms fruiting right now.
In the next photo the slug has "slimed" it way up a plant stem and is stretching over to "nibble" on the edge of a Dryad Saddle. That is, if a slug can "nibble" with its radula.
Not all of the fruiting bodies were mature. I saw some very young Dryad Saddles.
I guess that means the slugs can feast for a little while longer before they have to nibble on some other fungi.
They sound yummy. I haven't seen them around here, and am not confident enough about mushroom identification to ever pick and eat 'em.
ReplyDeleteSybil,
DeleteMorels are very tasty. Other than morels, I am like you and rarely risk eating wild mushrooms.