Red fly agaric is found in mixed, coniferous and deciduous forests, forming mycorrhiza (fungus root - “mutually beneficial cohabitation”) with birch and coniferous trees.
The mushroom cap is first spherical, then flat round and finally flat in shape, from orange to bright red. On its surface there are white or pale yellow "warts" round, usually irregular in shape. Ripe and old fly agaric is distinguished by the presence of pronounced striation along the edge of the cap.
The dense leg of the fungus can be yellowish or white in color, has the shape of a cylindrical, tuberous thickening. On the thickening there are white flocculent "warts" located in several protruding rows in concentric circles.
Amanita muscaria contains a large number of toxic components (choline, muscarin, betaine, muscaridin, putrescine, bufotenin and other substances). Some of them are potent toxins. Bufotenin has a hallucinogenic effect.
Amanita muscaria possesses known insecticidal properties (killing insects) due to the content of ibotenic acid.
Poisoning with these mushrooms is extremely rare. This is due to the fact that it is very difficult to confuse fly agaric with any mushroom. However, poisoning does happen. As a rule, they are observed in young children who ate “beautiful” mushrooms in the absence of adults. The main symptoms of poisoning include abdominal pain, vomiting, lacrimation, shortness of breath, narrowing of the pupils, increased sweating and salivation. In severe cases, convulsions, cardiac arrhythmias, and diarrhea may occur. Fatal outcomes in practice are almost not registered.
Amanita muscaria. Use
It should be noted that there are cases of eating this mushroom. For example, vodka tincture is prepared from dried fly agaric. It has a fairly strong tonic effect. In a similar way, with the addition of blueberries, the inhabitants of Kamchatka prepared the tincture. However, recommendations for the use of the mushroom are not practiced.
Due to hallucinogenic properties, Amanita muscaria was used by shamans. As a result of eating mushrooms, ministers of ancient cults could achieve religious ecstasy and acquire supernatural abilities.
In addition to shamans, fly agarics were used by performers of heroic tales and epics. In ancient times, the singer ate from nine to twenty mushrooms and began to sing all night of the legend.
The ritual eating of mushrooms in Koryak was an important element during the autumn holiday “hololo” (fishing holiday).
The use of fly agarics provoked states of delirium, twitching of limbs. At the same time, some people could dance, jump, have fun, others dreamed of hell, horror, others could begin to repent of their sins. In some cases, people imitated the “actions” of the fly agaric themselves. For example, they put on a hat and seeped through narrow shutters or a chimney pipe. Inhibition was replaced by excitement, people fell into a deep sleep. For a while, people taking mushrooms could feel a surge of strength. Amanita intoxication in some cases increased libido. In most cases, poisoning with these mushrooms is characterized by a frequently changing mood, visual hallucinations (color visions, double objects and others). Then lethargic sleep is followed by a loss of memory.
In folk medicine, there are several recipes with the use of fly agaric. Due to the increased toxicity of fungi, their use in official medicine is prohibited.
Many ungulates (wild roe deer, deer, moose) use fly agaric in order to get rid of helminths (worms).