Morels at Skilak burn

[Dominique collet]

Is there anyone with a boat wanting to check the old Skilak burn for morels?
Please email directly to me.
Dominique
Rabdo...@gmail.com

[Kathy]

Dominique:
Kathy and I went over to the Skilak Lake burn areas yesterday for a boat
ride and a little prospecting.... We started at the area that burned
earliest...I think it was 2005? Anyhow, the area is starting to become a
little better vegetated and we did not find a single morel...not even
litttle ones just popping up. We did find a number of tiny jelly cup fungi
just starting and a number of "False Morels" coming up. ( I think they were
Gyromitra. ).
We then moved to an area that burned more recently...not far from where
a group of us went last year. We found lots of the false morels and after
about 3/4 hr, we were about to head back enpty handed. Then I found a
couple smaller morels. We then started finding a small number as we moved
along. All of them were fairly small and we made a point to not take the
tiniest ones. We only wanted a few since we still have some dried ones from
last year so we continued looking until we had covered the bottomg of the
bucket. Then we called it a day. Fresh morels were on last nights menu.
So, the bottom line is that we were probably a little early but we did
find a few. They are just starting to appear and later in the week, or
next week, would probably be a better time.
I thought it intersting that there were all kinds of tiny flies buzzing
around as we walked along. ( They were not Mosquitos nor tiny
Chironomidae. ) When I started cleaning the morels at home, I found that
even many of the smaller morels that we picked were heavily infested with
fly larvae.
I am hoping to get back sometime toward the end of the week, or maybe
next week, but I have a bunch of things to do before I'll be able go
again.....Honey do's and projects that need to be done so we can plant some
things this spring. Anyhow, I can't realy offer a ride since I don't know
when I'll be able to go. Also, I have promised a couple people that when I
go again, I'll take them along. However, I can at least provide an update.

David Wartinbee

.

[Dominique collet]

"morning, Dave. I thought it was early too, but we are getting closer.
I' wait a few more days. I am searching for the pale spherical morels
like the Morchella esculenta as color plate 203 in Mushrooom
Demystified (M.D.) I have not seen that one outside the burn.
For the flies, I think they are either Mycetophillidae (massive
coxae and spurs) p.131 in the insect book,or Sciaridae, (reduced wing
veination ''bell" shaped), p129.
Thanks,
Dominique

[Phil and Amanda]

Our first morel foray was the day before Memorial Day. We went to our usual
places (not the burn) and found enough for dinner that night. Morels are
up, though a little sparse. As someone else mentioned, perhaps this rain
will help make them more abundant.