Common Earthball - Scleroderma citrinum

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Description

The Common Earthball often has a yellowish tinge, 2-10cm, usually slightly more elongate than spherical with a scaly pattern on its surface. All Earthballs are poisonous and should not be eaten.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

In leaf litter or on mossy soil under deciduous trees, usually in or at the edge of woods, and particularly associated with Oak.

When to see it

Autumn

UK Status

Fairly Common and widespread in Britain.

VC55 Status

Very common in Leicestershire and Rutland.

  • Graham Calow
    Burbage Common
    01 September 2010
  • David Nicholls
    Charnwood Lodge
    01 September 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Charnwood Lodge NR
    02 October 2005
  • David Nicholls
    Martinshaw Wood
    27 October 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Beacon Hill Country Park
    22 February 2017
  • David Nicholls
    Ulverscroft NR
    05 November 2004

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Common Earthball
Species group:
Fungi
Kingdom:
Fungi
Order:
Boletales
Family:
Sclerodermataceae
Records on NatureSpot:
158
First record:
23/10/2004 (Nicholls, David)
Last record:
26/11/2024 (Isabel Raval)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • Graham Calow
    Burbage Common
    01 September 2010
  • David Nicholls
    Burbage Common
    22 October 2005
  • David Nicholls
    Martinshaw Wood
    23 October 2004
  • David Nicholls
    Martinshaw Wood
    12 November 2011
  • Barbara Cooper
    Long Clawson
    07 July 2012
    under oak
  • David Nicholls
    Charnwood Lodge
    01 September 2012
  • Lostash
    Swithland Woods
    19 September 2015
  • Lostash
    Martinshaw Wood
    02 November 2013
  • AJ Cann
    Ulverscroft
    02 October 2016