Welcome to The Susquehanna Valley Mycological Society

The Susquehanna Valley Mycological Society (S.V.M.S.) is a non-profit organization and was founded in 1992 by ten people in the south central New York State region who had a common interest in mushrooms. Over a decade later, our club is thriving and our membership fluctuates between seventy and ninety members each year.

A Wealth of Knowledge

S.V.M.S. is charter member of North America Mycological Association (N.A.M.A.) and Northeast Mycological Federation (N.E.M.F.). Both of these organizations are comprised of almost all of the Mycologists in the Western Hemisphere. We have a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips. You could have that also.

Look, Learn and Laugh

Join our club and walk the mycologically rich forests of New York and Pennsylvania with us. We have three to four annual forays from the spring through the fall each year. These forays offer you a chance to learn more about the local varieties of fungi and enjoy the company of fellow mushroom minded people.

Feel Right at Home

What's new

3/25/2008 New Foray pics and Newsletter Yes, it took long enough, but the Summer II and Fall pics from last year are now up in the photos area. You should have received the most recient newsletter (winter 2008) in the mail a few weeks ago.

2/23/2008 Sad News for the Mycological Community SVMS was just notified of a great loss to our club and all the other Northeastern mycological organizations. On February 11th 2008 John Boyle passed away suddenly. John has always been a great repository of fungal knowledge in our area. He was always willing to share his time and abilities with organizations all over the Northeast. Always a ray of sunshine, even on sunny, mushroomless days, he improved any event with his presence. SVMS will greatly miss his company and friendship and offers our condolences to his surviving wife Dawn and his family.

Current Armillaria research I am a graduate student at Duke University in Rytas Vilgalys' mycology lab. I first became involved with NAMA during my undergraduate work at La Crosse, Wisconsin with Tom Volk and was impressed with how active NAMA members are in going out and collecting mushrooms and how proficient many are at taxonomy. For my PhD thesis I am interested in deciphering the parasitism that leads to aborted Armillaria (formerly known as aborted Entoloma). However, to do this I need extensive sampling throughout North America so I can track which species of Armillaria are involved in which regions. This is where I hope NAMA members might be of assistance! These mushrooms will start appearing over the next few months and I would be most grateful if mushroom hunters would keep an eye out for me and send any specimens they collect. I've attached a flyer with more information and my contact information if you would like to distribute it to your club members. Thank you so much for your time. This project is not possible without the cooperation and assistance of clubs such as yours and I appreciate these efforts very much. Bernadette O'Reilly Check out the "Wanted Poster" (pdf) for more information. You can also contact .

1/19-21/2008 Soma Wild Mushroom Camp '08 The Sonoma County Mycological Association (SOMA) Presents the 11th Annual Soma Wild Mushroom Camp '08 Tom Volk is one featured speaker! Others TBA. Save the date: Martin Luther King Weekend, January 19th, 20th & 21st. Register online at www.SOMAmushrooms.org or contact: or call (707) 773-1011 This camp is held in the beautiful hills of Western Sonoma County in the town of Occidental Fees: $275 Full Weekend, $215 with offsite lodging, $125 Sunday only Includes lodging in shared, comfy cabins, all meals, and great mushroom camaraderie. Three days of great fun! Expert speakers--TBA! Forays, classes & workshops, artwork, specimen tables, feasting, presentations, mushroom chefs and much more!

10/14/2007 NEMF 2008 Foray Date Change Please note the new date July 31 to August 3, 2008. And new place Connecticut College in New Londonf or the NEMF 2008 Foray.

9/21-23/2007 2007 Charles Horton Peck Annual New York State Mushroom Foray held in Pennsylvania at the Sieg Conference Center at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. Foray information and a registration form.

8/6/2007 New Foray Pictures Posted Check out the photos section of the site, the Summer I 2007 foray is posted.

7/27/2007 New Foray Pictures Posted Check out the photos section of the site, the spring 2007 foray is posted.

Current Amanita phalloides research Benjamin Wolfe, a PhD student at Harvard in the Pringle Lab in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, needs our help. That lab is conducting a comprehensive biogeographical survey of the mushroom producing fungus Amanita phalloides throughout the world to answer questions regarding the potential introduction and spread of A. phalloides in North America. It is thought that A. phalloides may be acting as an "invasive species" in North America, and they are trying to confirm or refute this idea by observational and experimental work in their lab. They are now conducting a biogeographical survey on the East Coast, where there have been known introductions of A. phalloides. Check out their "Wanted Poster" (pdf) for more information. You can also contact or his research advisor .