How to tell Two-colored bolete from Devil's bolete

Cap 4–15 cm, hemispherical in young mushrooms, then cushion-shaped. The color is bright red in young ones, darkening with age to brick-red or wine-red. The surface is matte, slightly sticky in wet weather, dry and faintly rough in dry weather.

Cap 8–30 cm across, massive, globular in young mushrooms, then cushion-shaped. Surface dry, matte, pale gray or grayish ocher, with no bright coloring — it contrasts with the red pores. In old mushrooms the cap is often blotchy.

The hymenophore is tubular, slightly notched at the stem. The color is bright yellow, olive-yellow in mature ones. The pores are small and angular. When pressed they slowly turn (after 1–2 minutes) dark blue or indigo — more weakly than in many bluing boletes.

Pored hymenophore. Pores bright red or blood-red — the mushroom's most noticeable feature. When pressed they turn blue very intensely and quickly. Tubes yellow or yellow-green near the stem.

Stem 5–10 cm tall, 1–3 cm thick, cylindrical or slightly narrowing upward. Color: yellow in the upper part, red or pinkish red in the lower part. When pressed it may turn very faintly blue or not change at all.

Stem 5–15 cm tall, 4–10 cm thick, massive, globular or barrel-shaped. Covered with a characteristic bright red net pattern on a yellow background — especially in the upper part. Turns blue when pressed.

The flesh is yellowish, firm in young ones. When cut it SLOWLY (within 1–3 minutes) turns dark blue, but more weakly than in classic bluing boletes. Then it settles to a dull gray-blue.

Flesh yellowish, very firm, heavy. Turns blue in a flash when cut — the reaction comes within 3–5 seconds and is far more intense than in edible bluing species. In old mushrooms the flesh has an unpleasant smell.

The smell is faint and neutral. The taste is mild, sometimes quite bland — without a distinct mushroom note.

In young mushrooms the smell is unobtrusive or absent. In mature mushrooms it is rather unpleasant, rotten or ammonia-like, especially noticeable in hot weather. The smell gets stronger when dried.