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Know this look-alike

King Bolete (Porcini) Look-alikes: Bitter and Satan's Bolete

These look-alikes can make you seriously ill. Get the identification right before you eat anything. King boletes have a white pore surface that ages to yellow-green, a pale net on the stem, and flesh that does not stain blue. The bitter bolete ruins a meal with a pink pore surface and a dark net, while the rarer Satan's bolete has red pores and stains blue, causing severe stomach illness.

The dangerous species

Satan's Bolete (Rubroboletus eastwoodiae / R. pulcherrimus (R. satanas in Europe))
dloarie · CC BY
⚠ do not eat

Satan's Bolete

Rubroboletus eastwoodiae / R. pulcherrimus (R. satanas in Europe)

How to tell it apart

  • The yellow tubes terminate in pores that are yellowish in very young fruitbodies but soon turn orange and then red as the spores mature. First Nature ↗
  • Rubroboletus satanas is a poisonous mushroom, and particularly so if it is eaten raw. First Nature ↗
Bitter Bolete (Tylopilus felleus)
Daniel Ghyselinck · CC BY
⚠ do not eat

Bitter Bolete

Tylopilus felleus

How to tell it apart

  • The pores underneath are white at first and become pinkish with maturity. Wikipedia ↗
  • As its common name suggests, it is extremely bitter, though not toxic as such. Wikipedia ↗
  • One specimen can foul the taste of a whole meal prepared with mushrooms. Wikipedia ↗

Edibles people confuse with these

If you are foraging any of these, rule out the look-alikes above every time.

The notes above are an educational starting point, not a substitute for a field guide or an experienced forager. If you are not completely certain, do not eat it.