The District of Oak Bay is issuing a warning about death cap mushrooms that are beginning to grow in Oak Bay.

Death cap mushrooms are extremely toxic and can cause severe illness and may be lethal if ingested by people, especially children and are very dangerous to pets.

Death cap mushrooms can be identified by their pale and yellowish colour, large cap and skirting underneath it.

If you suspect that you or someone in your family has consumed a poisonous mushroom:

• Go to the nearest hospital
• Call the BC Drug and Poison Information Centre at 1-800-567-8911 or call 911
• Keep a sample of the mushroom for testing

If you find death cap mushrooms on your property, here is how to dispose of them properly:

• Wear rubber gloves when removing them, then wash your hands thoroughly
• Discard the mushrooms in the garbage container.  Do not compost or use the food recycle garbage bin! Remove the mushrooms before mowing the lawn to avoid local spread. 
• When removing the mushrooms, the bulbous base needs to be removed as well
• Unless necessary avoid lawn watering to conserve water and to suppress early fruiting of death caps.
   

For more information, please visit these additional resources:

• Island Health
• BCCDC – Death Cap Mushrooms