Anyone who thinks the hay fever season is over is wrong. Even in autumn, nature still produces plenty of irritating substances that have free rein, especially now that it is sunny and dry.
The ‘hay fever high season’ falls in May and June when the grasses are blooming, but these are not the only causes of watery eyes and sneezing fits. According to biologist Maurice Martens, bovisto mushrooms are just as difficult. As soon as these fungi release their fungal spores, they spread through the air and cause the same complaints in hay fever patients. Especially now that it is dry and quite sunny outside; then there are a lot of pollen in the air.
Bovist mushrooms mainly grow in dune and forest areas. “North Holland is a small area with a long dune region, the mushrooms in the dunes release spores into the air and people can be allergic to them,” says Martens.
Cedar
Martens says that the cedar is also in bloom during this autumn period. This causes mugwort to become airborne. This type of pollen also causes complaints in patients. According to Martens, hay fever patients near monasteries, churches and parks should be extra careful during autumn: the pine species is most common there. The flowering season is in the months of September and October.