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1. Take a photo!
Before collecting the sample, take a photo of the fungi fruit bodies you found.
Use a unique label to identify the sample from collection to storage, avoiding misidentification.
If you find several specimens nearby, arrange them in a photo with the ID label.
Take several photos, capturing all the features needed for identification.
Use chemical reagents if applicable and capture color reactions.
Use our fungi photo guide to take quality photos.
2. Record your observation!
(in the app designated for your project, e.g. iNaturalist)
Make sure that the location (coordinates) is correctly recorded!
Upload your photos!
3. Take notes!
Record the features that cannot be captured in a photo in a notebook or directly in the app.
Observations on habitat, substrate, and symbiotic partner (tree host, parasitized organism) should also be recorded and uploaded.
4. Collecting the sample
Package the sample, a collection of whole, intact, mature fruiting bodies that represent the species well, together with the ID label for transport in a manner that prevents mixing or damaging the samples.
You can use aluminum foil, boxes, or paper bags.
Always keep the sampling boxes clean to avoid contamination.
5. Microscopy
Returning from the field, you can continue examining the sample by recording microscopic properties.
You can also record and document them with photos.
6. Spore print
You can make a spore print on aluminum foil/paper sheet/microscope slide and attach it to the specimen.
7. Drying the sample
The temperature should not exceed 40 C.
Do not dry in direct sunlight!
Cut the fruiting bodies in half if needed.
The sample should be placed in the dryer with the ID label.
You may attach a photo of the dried specimen to the record (for some taxa, e.g. Hebeloma, the color of the dried sample is also a clue)
8. Storing the sample
Place the completely dried sample in a sealable bag with the ID label and a few pieces of silica gel.
Store the sample at room temperature in a sealed box, protected from light.
Note: The size of the ID tag (QR codes) is equal and known, so the size of the fruiting body can accurately be measured from the photo.
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