# Bluefoot Bonnet (*mycena amicta*)

The Bluefoot Bonnet is a small mushroom with a bright blue stem that can be found in damp forest areas. Kids love to explore and find these colorful fungi hiding among the leaves!

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Moist, shady areas in forests and woodlands.
- **Also known as:** Blue Stem Fungus, Blue-foot Bonnet Mushroom, Blue-footed Mushroom

![Bluefoot Bonnet](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Mycena_spec._-_Lindsey_2a.jpg&width=800)

Photo: James Lindsey, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mycena_spec._-_Lindsey_2a.jpg)

## Appearance

The Bluefoot Bonnet has a small, conical to bell-shaped cap, typically greyish-brown with a darker center. Its slender stem is whitish to pale grey, but the most distinctive feature is its vibrant blue to blue-green base, giving it its common name.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Agaricales
- **Family:** Mycenaceae
- **Genus:** Mycena

## Interesting facts

- Its bright blue 'boots' are a rare and amazing splash of color on the forest floor!
- Look closely! You'll often find these small mushrooms growing in groups, like little forest families.
- The blue color in its stem can sometimes fade away as the mushroom grows older!
- This tiny fungus helps trees by breaking down old wood, making fresh soil for new plants.

## Special abilities

- **Forest Recycler:** Bluefoot Bonnet can break down dead wood and leaves because of special enzymes, recycling nutrients back into the soil.
- **Sky Traveler:** Bluefoot Bonnet has tiny, lightweight spores that can float on the wind, helping them spread far and wide to new habitats.
- **Blue Boot Magic:** Bluefoot Bonnet has a striking blue-green base because of unique pigments, making it distinct among forest fungi.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 2-6 cm
- **Edible:** inedible
- **Size:** 0.5-2 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** wood
- **Season:** Fall to early winter
- **Spore Color:** White

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [Sitka Spruce](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sitka-spruce) (*Picea sitchensis*) — dead wood from this tree
- **Eats:** [Western Hemlock](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-hemlock) (*Tsuga heterophylla*) — dead wood from this tree
- **Eats:** Douglas-fir (*Pseudotsuga menziesii*) — dead wood from this tree

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not touch or eat wild mushrooms without adult supervision.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Bluefoot Bonnet?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Bluefoot Bonnet?

2-6 cm

### Is Bluefoot Bonnet edible?

inedible

### How big is Bluefoot Bonnet?

0.5-2 cm

### Where is Bluefoot Bonnet usually found?

Moist, shady areas in forests and woodlands.

### What does Bluefoot Bonnet grow on?

wood

### When is Bluefoot Bonnet in season?

Fall to early winter

### What color are Bluefoot Bonnet spores?

White

## Where to spot

- [Pinecone Burke Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pinecone-burke-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [Bluefoot Bonnet: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bluefoot-bonnet)