It's that time of year again. Keep an eye out for the infamous Death Cap Mushroom (Amanita phalloides), which has been spotted again this fall around Boise and Garden City, including along the Greenbelt.

I used to run Nugget CBD, and we talked about these guys around this time every year after they were first confirmed in Boise in 2021. If you're not in the habit of eating wild mushrooms, you're probably safe. But they're worth watching out for if you have a dog or small children. Eating even a small amount can be fatal.

What do they look like?

The attached photograph shows death cap mushrooms at various stages of growth. This photo was taken in California, not Idaho.

Death caps generally have pale green, yellowish, or olive-colored caps, white gills, and a cup-like structure at the base of the stem that can be hidden underground. They tend to grow around hardwood trees, particularly oaks, and have been found in residential neighborhoods, and parks around Boise.

Yes, they're really quite deadly.

Death caps produce a toxin called alpha-amanitin which causes catastrophic liver damage and kidney failure... which causes death. Symptoms often don't appear until 6–24 hours after ingestion. People can appear to recover from the initial gastrointestinal symptoms before developing severe organ damage several days later.

That means any suspected ingestion by a pet or child is an emergency, even if they seem fine.

But aren't Amanitas psychedelic?

Amanita phalloides is related to the famous Amanita muscaria, the red-and-white mushroom you see in fairy tales and video games, which also grows here in Idaho. Although they're members of the same genus, they look completely different in their typical forms. It's easier to confuse their names than the mushrooms themselves.

Amanita muscaria doesn't produce the same deadly amatoxins. Instead, it contains ibotenic acid and muscimol, which act on the central nervous system.

Its reputation as a psychedelic mushroom is somewhat exaggerated. It can produce psychoactive effects, but it's not really a classical psychedelic. It is not as dangerous as the Death Cap but it can cause significant gastrointestinal distress, delirium, and serious poisoning.

Because of this, the FDA prohibits its use as an ingredient in conventional foods. They are also incredibly difficult to farm. Consequently, there's a thriving market for products claiming to contain Amanita muscaria that contain little or no actual mushroom extract.

That said, there is a long history of ritual consumption in some cultures, often involving specific preparation practices intended to reduce its toxicity but neither is a mushroom you should experiment with.

Don't be afraid, just be vigilant.

You don't have to be afraid of these mushrooms. They don't bite. Just be aware that you may see some around, and don't let your kids or pets play with them.

If you suspect someone has eaten a death cap, seek emergency medical care immediately and call Poison Control. Seriously, Poison Control can be very helpful if you're trying to decide if you should make a trip to the hospital. For pets, contact an emergency veterinarian.

And if you find any around Boise send me a picture! I would love to have some local photos of this mushroom.

Photo: Justin Pierce, Watsonville, California (2011), via Wikimedia Commons_Link_177883.jpg). Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Too funny. I saw this just a while ago in Boise on Hill Road and 36th Street. A trash can with a small model trash can.

Come hang out with your neighbors!!! See you tomorrow :)

hello everyone i have been employed by the Boise coop for about a year and a half now. my professional relationship with Boise coop has been separated i would like to thank BCM management and employees for the good times and experiences while employed there.

now that my working relationship with BCM has been separated i can share with you guys an project i have been working on since July that started with my fellow employees that i decided to expand to customers

i have been working on a petition for customers and employees to the BCM board to realign the coop with its founding values to include lower prices, a majority focus on local goods and community investment, and a return to fresh never frozen, premade or precut foods in deli and produce.

i will be interacting with anyone who wishes to sign or help out.

Idiots

Hey everyone! I've been thinking about starting an engineering/STEM-focused makerspace in the Treasure Valley, but before taking the idea any further, I'd like to get some feedback and see if there's genuine interest in the community.

The idea is to create a space where:

• Engineers, hobbyists, and makers can meet, collaborate, and work on projects.
• Members can access tools, equipment, and workbenches for building things, prototyping, and machining parts.
• Regular hands-on workshops give people the opportunity to learn new skills and build something they can take home.
• Courses help people develop their knowledge in areas like electronics, robotics, and other engineering disciplines.

I'd like the space to welcome people with different experience levels. Experienced makers could work on their own projects using shared equipment, while beginners, families, and younger learners could participate in guided workshops and courses. Ideally, there would also be options for people who only need access to certain equipment occasionally, without committing to a membership.

I'm still exploring the idea and haven't committed to a location or specific equipment list. I'd rather understand what people actually want before making those decisions.

A few questions:

• What would you want to build there?
• Would you be more interested in independent workspace access, guided workshops, or both?
• Would you be interested in workshops for your kids or projects you could build together?
• What tools or equipment are difficult to access locally?
• What would make a space like this worth paying to use regularly?

I'm passionate about engineering and would love to make something like this happen, but I want to understand whether there's genuine interest and what would make it worthwhile.

I'd appreciate any honest feedback, including concerns or reasons you might not use a space like this. Thanks!

When you are craving soup, what’s your default?

i have dark hair and have had a full head of highlights yeeeaaars ago and in a different state... it used to cost a whole lot less hahah. i'm not interested in a beauty school- but want to know the cheapest places to get a full head of highlights? i understand you pay for quality, but at a certain point ($300+) it's just unrealistic for me. previously i'd spend $80 for a full highlight. so anything under $200 would be magical. thanks!!

I dont even care where you stand on weed legalization. This sets a terrible precedent. They're just asking people to vote their own rights away.

I was wanting to go to a corn maze this week, does anyone have any recommendations?

Total shot in the dark, but does anyone know of anywhere in the TV that is doing a screening of The Room anytime soon? I want my partner to watch it, but for their first time I want it to be the real deal. Throwing spoons at the screen, flower petals, etc. (before anyone tells me to look at the IFS screenings and their website, I already know about them and love them, just looking for anyone who knows about this specific screening because I can’t find anything).Thank you!

It's Halloween time! Get into the spooky season a week early on 10/23 with a macabre assortment of games, goodies, and good friends at our annual Halloween Quickshot/RPG Party at ABU! We'll be dressing up, bringing treats, and filling up the Waterdeep room at ABU!

We'll not only have a full slate of tabletops, but Jean will be running a special Blood on the Clocktower event, and we'll have food and board games in the Waterdeep room to boot! Come to ABU Games at 5:30 or a bit earlier, and we encourage you to dress up and bring something delicious to share! Sign-up early at https://www.tvgpreregistration.com/ and we'll see you at the tables!

• Fright Train (Deadlands (SWADE Edition)) - Justin Q
  • Toil and trouble, witch and crew - Whatever will our posse do? When starry dark, turns naught to day - Terror reigns, come what may. Awaiting a frightful fight from farers in freight, These cowpokes now know a nightmare's night.
  • CW: Violence New players welcome, and come enjoy my second time running Deadlands!
• MONSTER MASH - PART 4: The Big Ball (D&D 5.5e (2024)) - Caleb T.
  • At long last, the Hallow's Eve Ball is upon us! IT'S TIME TO PARTY... almost! The embarassed vampire Raoul is asking for your help with one last thing: security. The Order of the Holy Squares is launching a crusade against Blackthorn Manor, and it's up to YOU to turn them away at the door! You gotta fight for your right to party!!!
  • LVL 5 Characters, Pre-Gens available, New Players welcome
• The Dare (Call of Cthulhu) - Megan
  • Everybody know the old Barnaker house is haunted, but here you are on Halloween night, all because of that jerk Roger. He dared you and your friends to spend the night there. You couldn't let him bully you... after all, you're no chicken.
  • (Kid Investigators, Special Pre-Gens Provided)
• Gnole House (Dolmenwood) - Ryan H
  • Deep in the woods stands a house no sensible traveler approaches. Merchants vanish nearby, villagers whisper of its monstrous inhabitants, and somewhere within lies a fortune in emeralds. You're going to rob it.
  • Pregens provided
• Death is only the beginning?? (DnD 5e) - Chad
  • total party kill. Everyone died. However, this time death is only the beginning. The adventurers are brought back from the other side as undead creatures by an evil necromancer. Escape the dungeon, fight the other undead experiments, and find your maker! You can sharpen your blade. You can prepare your spells. But can you return from the dead?
  • Level 3 please. New players always welcome.
• Who Killed the Storyteller?? (Blood on the Clocktower) - Jean M.
  • A demon walks among the townsfolk of Ravenswood Bluff. Trust no one, not even yourself. Piece together the truth during the day, hide in the shadows at night, and figure out who in the village is feeding you false hope... and who is killing you all one by one.
  • Beginners welcome, no preparation required!

Want more info? Check out the event listing on our website!

Want more? Join our Discord, Join our Facebook, or just stalk random nerds around town until you find our events. This event (like all our events) is free and welcomes new people (though bringing treats is encouraged.)

Currently sick and won't be able to attend. If you'd like a free ticket, please comment below.

Would prefer it to go to someone who would otherwise be unable to attend. Up to you to decide if you fall into that category or not.

EDIT: Ticket has been claimed.

trying to find affordable housing on a new nurse salary... not going well.

First off I loved green acres, then heard they were pushed out by private equity. Now there’s the music festival happening, genuinely haven’t heard what the turnout is like. Passion pit is a better headliner than what treefort has had in years, which is a weird flex for food truck park. Is there a good turnout?

I live on the bench near vista and overland, and I can hear a rock concert going on. Where is the concert?

I was the dude you looked back and waived to….you made me smile so much. From one biker to another…..thanks. That was rad!!

You and your man (?) looked so happy to be riding. Dope!

I found a very nice raincoat lying alongside the road coming back from Arrowrock reservoir today. Think it might be yours? Message me the brand, size, and color, and I can arrange to reconnect you.

I’ve lived in the same house for 10 years and all of a sudden within the last 3-4 months noticed my cold water pressure dropped drastically. It’s all faucets but the kitchen is the worst. Curious if this is a neighborhood/bench issue or not

Just found this turtle on the road in front of my house. Any ideas what I should do with it? I feel like I see these all the time at Esther Simplot Park but not sure if it’s appropriate to take it there.

Update: the Boise Reptile Zoo said they will take it. We added some water and rocks to the tank so should be ok overnight. Thanks everyone!

Can anyone point me in the direction of a good source for fresh epazote leaves in the area? Google search results and all several years old. Willing to drive for the good stuff but prefer to avoid a wild goose chase. Thanks!

Someone stole some cakes from my dessert cart.