The District of Oak Bay is warning residents that deadly death cap mushrooms have started appearing in the community again.
In a public notice issued on September 17th, officials reminded residents that death caps are highly toxic. They can cause severe illness or even death if eaten by people or pets. Children are particularly at risk.
Death caps are usually pale or yellowish, with a large cap and a skirt-like ring underneath. They grow from a swollen, bulbous base that is only visible when the mushroom is dug up.
While skin contact with this fungus is not dangerous, eating it can result in nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, liver and kidney failure, and, in some cases, death.
Symptoms typically show up between six and 24 hours after consumption.
This warning is part of an annual reminder as the mushrooms usually appear in the wetter months or after lawns are watered.
The deadly mushrooms have been linked to past tragedies on Vancouver Island. In 2016, a three-year-old boy in Victoria died after eating a death cap he picked downtown. Three years later, a 16-week-old puppy died at the Victoria Humane Society after consuming what were believed to be the poisonous mushrooms.
Oak Bay officials advise anyone who thinks they or a family member has eaten a poisonous mushroom to go immediately to the nearest hospital, call the BC Drug and Poison Information Centre at 1-800-567-8911, or call 911.
They should also keep a sample of the mushroom for testing.
Residents who find death caps on their property are encouraged to wear gloves when handling them. They should remove the bulbous base, bag the mushrooms, and throw them away instead of placing them in compost or food recycling bins.
Mowing lawns with death caps present might help spread spores and is strongly discouraged.
