Autumn is here, and there are fungi everywhere in sight in Herefordshire.

To find out more about the different types of fungi, and the role they play in nature, I contacted Mike Stroud, secretary of Herefordshire Fungus Group; a voluntary organisation that looks for and records the fungi of Herefordshire.

Mike told me: “Woolhope naturalists started fungus foraying back in 1868 and since then it has spread.

“We have some very experienced mycologists (people who study fungi) in the group.

‘‘We have 50 or 60 members, some of which are in other regions, but we have 15 or 20 locally usually.

“We’re not into eating the fungi, though occasionally we find something we’re certain of,” he added.

“You need to be more than 100 per cent certain, as it can be very dangerous.

‘‘Not many fungi are deadly, but enough are. Lots of the fungi have to be taken home to identify with microscopes and chemical testing, and we record the species for the nation and county database.

“Fungi are amazing things – the largest organism in the world, in fact.

‘‘Most of the fungi are underground, and the mushroom coming up is a fruiting body. We wouldn’t be here without fungi, as they have a relationship with the roots of trees and plants. The fungus gives the tree minerals, and the tree gives the fungus sugars to grow,” said Mr Stroud.

“We have had to virtually stop our foraying, though my wife and I have still been going out and recording. We normally go out once or twice a season, which is a morning or whole day, and then identify what we’ve got. Hopefully we’ll start again next March all together again.”

To find out more about how you can get involved, visit: www.herefordfungi.org.