The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has advised people to get expert advice before picking mushrooms Photo: Alamy
Already foragers spurred on by celebrity chefs like Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall are setting out to pick field mushrooms and other delicacies.
But the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has warned that the wrong kind of mushrooms can make people extremely sick and advised people to get expert advice before picking.
Some varieties are so toxic that they can prove fatal if eaten, while others cause sickness and severe cramps.
Toxins in some of the most dangerous mushrooms are also generally not destroyed by cooking.
Nicolas Evans, the author of the Horse Whisperer, had to have a kidney transplant after eating the wrong kind of mushroom in Scotland.
The fashion for foraging has been spurred on by Antonio Carluccio and other chefs who recommend fresh mushrooms.
Author Ian McEwan features a character who gathers the delicacy in his latest book Sweet Tooth and has warned people to pick mushrooms quickly each season - before supplies are snaffled by the Polish community who also love foraging.
Pete Brash, of the National Trust, said mushrooms thrive in the warm and wet.
“People may notice more mushrooms when they are going for a walk. This is just the start of the traditional mushroom hunting season. I imagine if the warm weather continues it could be quite good.”
Geoff Dann, from Brighton, who is an expert on wild mushrooms, said people are already signing up for foraging sessions to make the most of the season.
He said "When it comes down to it, the obvious guidance is don't eat anything unless you know what it is. It's only dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.
"Provided people follow some basic rules, then they can learn about foraging for mushrooms without poisoning themselves or causing any serious ecological damage.
"Some mushrooms don't kill right away. It can take a while for the toxins to build up and start damaging your kidneys, particularly if you eat loads of them.
In Surrey's Mole Valley, local fungi expert Ray Tantram leads expeditions looking for edible mushrooms but she warned people to be careful and avoid anything they're not 100 per cent sure about.
"Beginners should beware, as many common species of mushroom are poisonous and some are deadly, so pickers must learn to identify fungi accurately before they start eating them.
"My favourite saying is that 100 per cent certainty of identification is only just good enough" she said.
Field mushrooms are the most common source of edible fungi in the UK. Other varieties include Chicken of the Woods, chanterelle and Penny Bun are also good edible species but the Death Cap is deadly if eaten.
Chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recommends the beefsteak mushroom as a good alternative to meat.
Fungi remain one of the world's most diverse kingdoms of life, but scientists know surprisingly little about them. They are currently creating the first genetic library of the UK's fungi.
Currently, the UK is thought to contain anywhere between 12,000 to 20,000 species.
