Spore Printing

Made by the depositing of millions of microscopic spores from a fungal fruiting body, onto a surface beneath. Spore prints are commonly used in mushroom identification.

Collect a mature mushroom. It is important the mushroom is mature so there are enough spores to make a print. Cut stem of the mushroom with a sharp knife, at the highest point possible without touching the gills. Place the mushroom, gill side down, on a piece of paper. Depending on the colour of spores, white or black paper should be used. Experiment with different mushroom species and coloured paper to find out what works best. Cover the mushroom with a clear glass or tub. A clear covering allows you to monitor the spore print while protecting the spores from being disturbed by airflow. Leave the mushroom for 6-24 hours to ensure a clear and textured print. Use a fixative spray to fix the spores to the paper.