Mushrooms in Lake County, Illinois
Fruiting now
Based on past sightings (mostly since 2011; all years where recent records are few), not a forecast. Weather and place matter a lot, and a listing here says nothing about whether a mushroom is safe.
Too few past records in January here to list species.
Usually recorded in February here:
Blushing Bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa2 February records across all years
Usually recorded in March here:
Velvet Shank Flammulina velutipes2 March records since 2011
Too few past records in April here to list species.
Usually recorded in May here:
Hairy Bracket Trametes hirsuta3 May records across all years
Dryad's Saddle Cerioporus squamosus3 May records across all years
Usually recorded in June here:
- Fungi Pallidohirschioporus biformis2 June records across all years
Spring Polypore Lentinus arcularius2 June records across all years
Golden Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus citrinopileatus2 June records across all years
Usually recorded in July here:
Turkeytail Trametes versicolor2 July records across all years
Russula foetentula2 July records across all years
Usually recorded in August here:
Honey Fungus Armillaria mellea2 August records across all years
Old Man Of The Woods Strobilomyces strobilaceus2 August records across all years
Collared Parachute Marasmius rotula2 August records across all years
Usually recorded in September here:
- Golden Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus citrinopileatus3 September records across all years
- Dryad's Saddle Cerioporus squamosus3 September records across all years
Chicken Of The Woods Laetiporus sulphureus2 September records across all years- Honey Fungus Armillaria mellea2 September records across all years
- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor2 September records across all years
Usually recorded in October here:
Hairy-Stalked Collybia Gymnopus spongiosus3 October records across all years
Giant Puffball Calvatia gigantea3 October records across all years
Late Fall Polypore Ischnoderma resinosum2 October records across all years
Bulbous Honey Fungus Armillaria gallica2 October records across all years
Tricholoma odorum2 October records across all years
Pear-Shaped Puffball Apioperdon pyriforme2 October records across all years- Dryad's Saddle Cerioporus squamosus2 October records across all years
Brown Cubical Rot Of Birch Fomitopsis betulina2 October records across all years
Usually recorded in November here:
Oak Curtain Crust Hymenochaete rubiginosa3 November records across all years
Golden Bracket Fuscoporia gilva2 November records across all years- Turkeytail Trametes versicolor2 November records across all years
Too few past records in December here to list species.
Most-recorded species
| # | Species | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | |
| 2 | 8 | |
| 3 | 7 | |
| 4 | 6 | |
| 5 | 6 | |
| 6 | 5 | |
| 7 | 5 | |
| 8 | 4 | |
| 9 | 4 | |
| 10 | 4 | |
| 11 | 3 | |
| 12 | 3 | |
| 13 | 3 | |
| 14 | 3 | |
| 15 | 3 |
Being on this list doesn't mean a mushroom is common, easy to identify or safe. It only means it has been recorded here often.
Best months to look
Records by month, all years. Busiest: Oct, Nov, Aug.
Sightings map
● Each dot is a place with at least one record (rounded to about 1 km). Locations can be approximate, and many are on private land. Numbered blue circles are recent sightings, shown only to a general area of about 10 km.
Recent sightings
The 10 most recent dated records in this county, newest first. Data as of October 26, 2026. Records can take weeks or more to reach GBIF, so the newest finds may not show yet. Places are given only as a public park or forest (from the USGS Protected Areas Database) or the nearest town, and the numbered circles on the map cover a general area, not an exact spot.
- 1Sep 8, 2026Golden Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus citrinopileatusin Independence Grove Forest Preserve, IL · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 2Sep 8, 2026Golden Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus citrinopileatusin Independence Grove Forest Preserve, IL · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 3
Sep 8, 2026Crown-Tipped Coral Artomyces pyxidatusin Independence Grove Forest Preserve, IL · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record - 4
Sep 8, 2026Bay Polypore Picipes badiusin Independence Grove Forest Preserve, IL · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record - 5Sep 8, 2026Golden Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus citrinopileatusin Independence Grove Forest Preserve, IL · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 6Jun 13, 2026Golden Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus citrinopileatusnear Lake Villa, IL · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 7Jun 12, 2026Golden Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus citrinopileatusin Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Area, IL · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 8
Apr 10, 2026Neofavolus americanusnear Highland Park, IL (location blurred by the observer) · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record - 9Oct 10, 2025Dryad's Saddle Cerioporus squamosusnear Channel Lake, IL (location blurred by the observer) · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
- 10Oct 3, 2025Tricholoma odorumnear Round Lake, IL (location blurred by the observer) · iNaturalist photo, research grade · original record
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How we built this page
299 records of mushrooms, shelf fungi and polypores (class Agaricomycetes) that fall inside this county's Census boundary. Licenses: 234 CC0 and 65 CC BY 4.0. See about the data for the full citation.