How do they know?

[jackb]

In addition to photographing foliage on these beautiful fall days, I like to get down into the leaf litter and identify and photograph the emerging fungi; like this salmon entoloma. This variety is delicate, attractive, and, deadly. What I find really puzzling is: that it is not uncommon to find fungi that have been partially eaten by wildlife. How do the animals know which varieties are safe to eat? Do you suppose that they have tiny copies of The Field Guide to Mushrooms hidden in their dens?
jackb

 

[journey11]

I sure would like to know too. The nose knows, I suppose? If there's a choice edible mushroom out there, odds are good they may find it before I do.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

Yes @jackb , there's no doubt they have every field guide known to mankind in their libraries.

 

[so lucky]

That's the same manual that tells Hummingbirds to fly south in the fall.

 

[jackb]

Perhaps they have large secret underground universities where they teach the young such things as survival and celestial navigation.

 

[digitS']

I found the tiniest beetle in the sink yesterday.

I'd peeled a pear and was returning to carry the trimmings out to the compost bucket. If I hadn't been wearing my glasses I'd never have seen him, especially because he pulled his legs under his body at my approach. I mean, he was the size of the period at the end of this sentence.

I figure he didn't arrive in the house on the pear. No, he came in with some lemon grass. He probably wasn't happy on that lemon grass but planned the whole thing to get indoors to the fruit.

Okay, he has a couple of days on that pear before the bucket goes to the compost. By that time, he will probably be back in the house.

Garbanzo the Dog is visiting so I suspect he will hitch a ride back inside. Getting cold outdoors.

Steve