page_title: Lactarius deterrimus
section_title: Fruit body
hierarchical_section_title: Lactarius deterrimus / Ecology / Fruit body
caption_attribution_description: Rozvolněný les v JV svazích Toku
context_page_description: Lactarius deterrimus, also known as false saffron milkcap or orange milkcap, is a species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. The fungus produces medium-sized fruit bodies with orangish caps up to 12 centimetres wide that develop green spots in old age or if injured. Its orange-coloured latex stains maroon within 30 minutes. Lactarius deterrimus is a mycorrhizal fungus that associates with Norway spruce and bearberry. The species is distributed in Europe, but has also found in parts of Asia. A visually similar species in the United States and Mexico is not closely related to the European species. Fruit bodies appear between late June and November, usually in spruce forests. Although the fungus is edible—like all Lactarius mushrooms from the section Deliciosi—its taste is often bitter, and it is not highly valued. The fruit bodies are used as source of food for the larvae of several insect species. Lactarius deterrimus can be distinguished from similar Lactarius species by difference in the mycorrhizal host or latex colour.
context_section_description: Many fungi can serve as source of food for insect larvae, whereas most insects eat fungi only occasionally. Still, a whole range of insect species specialize on fungi. These animals are mainly beetle larvae, especially hairy fungus beetles (Mycetophagidae), rove beetles (Staphylinidae), and true flies (Diptera). Milk caps are especially attractive for true flies, while beetle larvae are comparatively rarer. The most common insects found on the fungus are Mycetophilidae and Phoridae larvae, which populate even the youngest fruit bodies. Also relatively common on mature or overaged fruit bodies are Drosophilidae and Psychodidae. Species from the section Deliciosi are often infested by Diptera larvae.
  The following species have been isolated from the fruit bodies of L. deterrimus:
  Ula sylvatica (Pediciidae): This very common Micropezidae were isolated from more than 70 different fungus species, which belong to completely different genera and families. Its larvae spend an unusually long portion of its life cycle in the fruit body, usually three or  four weeks.
  Mycetophila blanda (Mycetophilidae): The Mycetophilidae cultivates usually in milk caps of the section Deliciosi.
  Mycetophila estonica (Mycetophilidae): A rare species first described in 1992, which is closely related with Mycetophila blanda and is also common in milk caps.
  Mycetophila evanida (Mycetophilidae): Was found in fungi including Lactarius fulvissimus and Russula luteotacta.
  Culicoides scoticus (Ceratopogonidae): It is one of the most common biting midges found in fungi and been found in over 20 different fungus species.
  Mydaea corni: This species belongs to the family Muscidae and was to date only found in species of Lactarius and Russula.
  Many different fruit flies have been recorded on L. deterrimus: Drosophila funebris, Drosophila phalerata, Drosophila transversa and Drosophila testacea.
  Psychoda albipennis, Psychoda lobata and Tinearia alternata were isolated from the fruit bodies of the fungus. The larvae of Psychoda lobata are known to develop from a wide range of fungus species from over 30 genera.
caption: L. deterrimus is a mycorrhizal fungus that lives in symbiosis with spruces.
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