Shipping instructions

Mushroom samples should be dried as soon as possible to prevent degradation—food dehydrators and ovens on low heat work fine.

Please provide the location where you found the sample, down to GPS coordinates if possible. The more specificity the better! If you’d like to provide more information about the environment (types of trees, disturbed/undisturbed area, etc.) that’d be great but it’s not a necessity. I would also love a picture of what the sample looked like before it was dried. This extra info can be sent along with the sample or emailed to me at kendra.autumn@utah.edu, as long as it’s clear which physical sample is yours.

Bonus—if you find unparasitized Russula or Lactarius in the same area, I would hugely appreciate those being sent along as well.

Wondering if the mushroom you found is actually a lobster? There are many resources online that can aid in ID, such as mushroomexpert.com, but I’ll take any and all samples resembling lobsters—if you’re not sure, send it along anyway!

Dried fungal samples should be packaged carefully so as to avoid being crushed and sent to:

Kendra Autumn
Natural History Museum of Utah
301 Wakara Way
Salt Lake City, UT 84108

If you provide a return address, I’ll send you a free Community-based Lobster Acquisition Workforce (C.L.A.W.) vinyl sticker so you can proudly display your contribution to the cause!

If you have questions, please email me at kendra.autumn@utah.edu.

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