Fly Agaric vs Pick-A-Back Toadstool

Amanita muscaria compared with Asterophora lycoperdoides

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Fly Agaric	Pick-A-Back Toadstool
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum same	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class same	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order same	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Agaricaceae (Agarics)	Lyophyllaceae
Genus	Amanita (Amanitas)	Asterophora
Species	Amanita muscaria	Asterophora lycoperdoides

Evolutionary Relationship

Fly Agaric and Pick-A-Back Toadstool share a common ancestor at the Order level: Agaricales. (Gilled Mushrooms)

Conservation Status

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Pick-A-Back Toadstool

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Fly Agaric	Pick-A-Back Toadstool
Diet	Decomposer	—
Average Lifespan	1 years	—
Average Length	20 cm	—
Average Weight	100 g	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Fly Agaric

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (New Zealand), and South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia).

Pick-A-Back Toadstool

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Fly Agaric

Among the most iconic and recognizable fungi on Earth, fly agaric mushrooms display striking red caps with white flecked warts across boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere. Despite their fairy-tale appearance, they contain potent psychoactive compounds including muscimol and ibotenic acid and are moderately toxic. They form critical mycorrhizal symbioses with birch, pine, and spruce trees, exchanging mineral nutrients for carbon and playing essential roles in boreal forest nutrient cycling.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States