Support MycoNote →

MycoNote

Region · updated 11 November 2026

Mushroom season in the West Midlands

100%

Mycelium activity

Peak season

steady

Rain: 3 mm in 3 days, 4 mm in 7 dayssoil 8°C

Two emails a year at most. Unsubscribe in one click.

Mushroom season in the West Midlands runs from late summer to late autumn and peaks in early to mid autumn. Right now a good flush is under way: look for bay bolete, parasol mushroom and brown birch bolete. Death cap grows in the same woods, so keep only what you are sure of and check the lookalike comparisons.

Forager's notes · 11 November 2026

Mushroom forecast for the West Midlands

The West Midlands has had a decent wetting, around 72mm over the past few weeks, a bit above normal, with humid air keeping conditions favourable rather than drying things out. Soil is still mild at 8°C, right in the sweet spot for this point in the season.

Everything lines up for a strong showing of ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits across local woods and hedgerows. This is as good as the season gets here, so make this weekend count.

What's growing now in the West Midlands

233 species in our UK catalogue fruit in November. Check every find.

Bay bolete (Imleria badia) in a pine forest: chestnut cap, yellowish-brown stem and a pine cone on the needle litterBay boleteEdibleYoung parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera) in broadleaf woods: round scaly cap and snakeskin-patterned stemParasol mushroomEdibleA cluster of honey fungus (Armillaria mellea) growing from under the bark of a fallen birch: domed pinkish-brown caps with fine dark scales in the centreHoney fungusConditionally edibleTwo brown birch boletes (Leccinum scabrum) on pine needles: brown caps, pale pores beneath and white stems with dark scalesBrown birch boleteEdibleOyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus): smooth grey-brown shell-shaped cap on a mossy tree trunkOyster mushroomEdibleVelvet shank (Flammulina velutipes): orange caps growing in a dense cluster on a tree trunkVelvet shankEdible
All November mushrooms
Not sure what you found?Share a photo, the community will helpMushroom season in the UKMap and ranking of all 12 regionsDeath cap or edible?Compare lookalikes before you pick

Weather and rain map for the West Midlands

In Britain mushrooms follow the rain of two to four weeks earlier more than a shower this week. Switch the layers to rain, temperature or wind and zoom in on your wood.

* Data: Ventusky. Zoom in on the map to check your own forest area in detail.

Useful to know

Mushroom foraging in the West Midlands

The richest fungus wood in the West Midlands is the Wyre Forest on the Worcestershire and Shropshire border, where more than 2,000 species of fungi have been recorded. Cannock Chase has grazed ancient oak wood pasture at Brocton Coppice, and The Leasowes in Halesowen is a waxcap grassland of national importance, protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its fungi.

Large parts of the Wyre Forest and Cannock Chase are Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and Forestry England says picking fungi in its SSSI forests is illegal. Picking to sell is not allowed on any Forestry England land, and elsewhere you need the landowner's permission.

Questions · 4

Mushrooms in the West Midlands: questions

The season, where to look and what the rules are.

01

Are mushrooms out in the West Midlands right now?

On 11 November 2026 mycelium activity in the West Midlands is 100%, which means peak season. The index is recalculated every night from the weather of the last few weeks.

02

What mushrooms grow in the West Midlands in November?

233 species in our UK catalogue fruit in November, among them bay bolete, parasol mushroom, brown birch bolete, oyster mushroom. Deadly species grow in the same woods, so keep only what you are sure of.

03

How long after rain do mushrooms appear?

In Britain the clearest link is with rain two to four weeks earlier. A single shower after a dry spell rarely makes a difference; a wet week or two usually does.

04

Can I pick mushrooms in the West Midlands?

England and Wales: Under the Theft Act 1968, picking wild mushrooms is not theft unless you pick them for sale, for reward or another commercial purpose. The Act only covers theft: landowners and local byelaws can still forbid picking, and four rare fungi are protected by law.

Other regions of the UK

1Wales100%2London96%3East Midlands95%4North East England88%

Past forecasts

10 November 2026Index 100%

The West Midlands has had a decently wet few weeks, above the usual, and the air has stayed noticeably humid rather than drying out. Soil holding at 8.2°C, mild conditions carrying through into November.

This is peak season here and conditions are excellent, so get out looking for ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits. Hard to think of a better weekend this autumn for a proper forage.

9 November 2026Index 100%

The West Midlands has had rain running above the usual mark over the past few weeks, and this week's air is noticeably damper than normal too, with soil still warm at 8.5°C. About as favourable as conditions get.

This is the height of the season and it should deliver: ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits all worth seeking out in good numbers. A strong weekend to head into the woods, with little reason to hold back.

8 November 2026Index 100%

The West Midlands has had a decent topping-up of rain over recent weeks, well above the norm, and the air this week is noticeably damper than usual too, with mild soil at 8.7°C. This sits right at the peak of the autumn season.

Conditions are excellent, so this is a weekend worth prioritising. Ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits should all be out in good form across varied woodland.

7 November 2026Index 79%

The West Midlands has had a decent wet spell building over the past few weeks, rainfall running above the usual, though the air has turned notably dry this week. Soil remains mild near 8.9°C, and with the season at its peak, the underlying moisture from recent weeks is doing the real work.

Expect good conditions for ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits, particularly in woodland that held onto that earlier rain. It's a promising weekend to get out, just don't be put off by the dry air on the surface.

6 November 2026Index 91%

The West Midlands is at the height of its autumn calendar and conditions back it up nicely: rainfall three to four weeks ago was close to normal, the air is notably calm and moist for the time of year, and soil sits at a comfortable 9.1°C. This points to an excellent outing. Ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits should all be out in good numbers across woodland and grassy margins alike. Well worth a proper trip this weekend.