Expert warns of poisonous southwestern Ontario mushrooms
Death cap mushrooms are uncommon in southwestern Ontario, but they certainly grow in the region, says expert
A mushroom expert in Windsor is warning people about the type of wild mushrooms they eat when foraging in southwestern Ontario.
Denis Vidmar of Great Lakes Mushrooms spoke about the dangers of wild fungi after a three-year-old Victoria boy died after eating poisonous mushrooms.
The boy died after eating a "death cap" mushroom. Vidmar says they are uncommon in Ontario, but he has seen them.
He says there are other wild mushrooms in southwestern Ontario that are toxic and it can be hard to tell which ones are safe to eat.
"You really got to know your stuff, in order for you to do this," he said.
Vidmar regularly gets residents sending in photos of mushrooms, asking if they are safe to consume.
"We always tell them, be very careful what you do because we cannot give you advice unless [we] come and inspect it," he said.