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Southern IA Foraging Conditions — ForageIQ

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Southern IA

700–1,300 ft · IA🚗 Directions

S

Southern Iowa rolling hills with oak-hickory forest remnants and old apple orchards. Stephens SF, Lake Red Rock area, and scattered timber along creek corridors. Dying ash and elm are reliable morel producers.

Trees:White Oak Hickory Cottonwood

Updated Jul 13, 4:09 AM MT

AI Conditions Report

AI-generated · verify in field

## Southern Iowa – S Tier (July 13, 2026) This region is firing on all cylinders: soil temp is locked at 74°F with a full week of sustained warmth, and volumetric water content has held steady at 0.21—right where fruiters need it. The 57-species roster is exceptionally broad because *both* wood-decay and ground-fruiting fungi are equally dialed in. You're looking at prime season for Chicken of the Woods and Wine Caps on dead timber, Inky Caps and Fairy Ring Champignons in open ground, and the full bolete spectrum where mycorrhizal networks are active. The only brake here is **moderate desiccation risk**—that paltry 0.32" of rain in the last week means the soil moisture is stable but not climbing. The next rain event is your window to extend peak conditions; without it, soil VWC will decline gradually over 7–10 days, dragging species toward A-tier territory. Watch the forecast hard. A 0.5"+ event in the next 3–5 days locks in another week of S-tier productivity. Dry spell? Plan your high-value targets now—Boletes and chanterelles will start dropping off first as upper soil layers dry. **Hot tip:** Parasol and Shaggy Parasol prefer the *driest* edge of viable moisture; hunt them today and tomorrow before any hypothetical rain plumps up the competition.

Generated by Claude (Anthropic) from the structured weather, soil, and phenology data on this page. The LLM can misread edge cases — treat this as a starting hypothesis, not a guarantee. Always verify conditions on the ground before committing to a long drive.

Foraging Potential95/100

✅Moisture

✅Soil Temp

✅No Freeze

✅No Drought

Precip 7d

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Nearby Camping

Within(2)

Forest Lake Camp & Conference Center

developed

Iowa Baptist Convention~6.7 mi from center

Lake Wapello State Park Campground

developed

~7.3 mi from center

⚠ Road Access Notice

Always verify road access is public before following GPS directions to mountain areas. Many forest roads are seasonal, gated, or require 4WD. Dispersed camping follows USFS/BLM rules (typically 14-day limit). Check ranger district offices for current road and campground conditions.

Viable Species

Confidence × Primordia state

HIGHPrimed

Chicken of the Woods

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Destroying Angel

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wine Cap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Giant Puffball

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Turkey Tail

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Witch's Butter

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Aspen Bolete

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Indigo Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Crown-Tipped Coral

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Jelly Ear

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dead Man's Fingers

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Parasol Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Shaggy Parasol

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fairy Ring Champignon

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Artist's Conk

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Birch Polypore

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Tinder Fungus

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Bird's Nest Fungus

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Cinnabar Chanterelle

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Berkeley's Polypore

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Red-Capped Scaber Stalk

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Old Man of the Woods

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Frost's Bolete

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Horse Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Mica Cap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Two-Colored Bolete

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Smooth Chanterelle

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Blusher

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Caesar's Amanita

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Weeping Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Gem-Studded Puffball

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green-Gill Lepiota

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Yellow Patches

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Cordyceps

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Bitter Bolete

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green Cracked Russula

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Blackening Russula

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Peppery Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Grisette

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Coker's Amanita

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fool's Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Alcohol Inky

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fairy Inkcap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Yellow-Stainer

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Red-Belted Conk

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Thin-Walled Maze Polypore

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Mossy Maze Polypore

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

False Turkey Tail

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Northern Tooth

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Eyelash Cup

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Snow Fungus

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wood Ear

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Crested Coral

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green Elfcup

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Ivory Funnel

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Aspen Oyster

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wolf's Milk Slime

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dog Vomit Slime Mold

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fluted Bird's Nest

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

King Alfred's Cakes

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dung Bird's Nest

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Parasite Bolete

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Rooted Collybia

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

The Deceiver

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Oak Mazegill

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Banded Mottlegill

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Common Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Ravenel's Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dune Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Elegant Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.21 VWC, 7d avg 0.21 — moisture sustained)

Primordia readiness: Cold = mycelium dormant. Activating = soil warming, primordia building. Primed = 5+ sustained warm days at species threshold; fruiting imminent if moisture cooperates. Based on Schmidt 1983 / Mihail 2007.