Emily Johnson
Mushrooms are a type of fungus that can be a tasty treat for both humans and insects. They are also a breeding ground for pests and insects, such as flies, that can decimate an entire mushroom crop. The hallucinogenic chemical psilocybin, found in magic mushrooms, may even act as a psychedelic insect repellent. Fungi, including mushrooms, are now considered a separate kingdom, distinct from plants and animals, with their own unique characteristics.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Insects that infest mushrooms | Sciarid Fly, Cecid Fly, Phorid Fly, Springtails, Fungus Gnat Larvae, Slugs/Snails, Pleasing Fungus Beetles, Ciidae Beetles |
| Insects that mushrooms infest | Cordyceps mushrooms infest insects |
| Pest control methods | Pasteurization of the soil medium, Safer® Brand Insect Killing Soap Concentrate, organic sprays containing Pyrethrum, yellow sticky fly traps, soaking mushrooms in salty water |
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What You'll Learn
Mushrooms are a tasty treat for some insects
Beyond flies, several beetle families, including Erotylidae, Endomychidae, and certain Tenebrionidae, are specialists on fungi, although they may also eat other foods. In the rainforests of Southeast Asia, the Euprenolepis procera species of ant was found to have a diet consisting almost entirely of mushrooms. In lab settings, ants have also been observed to survive on mushrooms alone, although it is unclear if they would do so in the wild due to mushrooms' unreliable growth patterns, toxins, and relatively poor nutritional content.
Some insects don't just eat mushrooms but also use them for reproduction. Stinkhorn mushrooms produce a spore-filled gleba with a rotting flesh smell that attracts flies. The flies eat the spores and carry them to new locations, aiding in the mushroom's reproduction.
Additionally, some insects have a symbiotic relationship with mushrooms. Around 330 species of termites cultivate a specialized fungus in the Termitomyces genus. The termites eat plant matter and produce faecal pellets, which serve as a growth medium for the fungus. The fungus then produces immature mushrooms, a rich source of nutrients for the termites, and also spreads spores that help new termite colonies acquire the same fungal strain.
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Fungi can act as a natural insect repellent
Mushrooms are edible fungi that are grown indoors in a carefully controlled environment without sunlight. While this guarantees robust growth, it also creates an ideal breeding ground for pests that can decimate a mushroom crop. The Sciarid fly, for instance, is a common and damaging pest that can leave mushrooms brown and inedible.
Fungi, however, can also act as a natural insect repellent. Fungi that infect and cause disease in insects are known as entomopathogenic fungi or insect-pathogenic fungi (IPF). These fungi can infect a wide range of insect hosts, including aphids, thrips, whiteflies, caterpillars, weevils, grasshoppers, ants, and more. Beauveria bassiana, for instance, is a fungus that grows naturally in soils worldwide and infects both immature and adult insects. It causes a disease called white muscadine disease, which results in the insect being covered in white mold.
Most fungi infect insects by adhering spores to the insect's cuticle (skin) and penetrating it. The fungal spores then reproduce and multiply within the insect's body, producing toxins and draining the insect of nutrients, eventually killing it. The kill time for most fungi is about a week, but commercial strains are developed to kill faster. Fungi can also alter the behaviour of insects, such as controlling their brains and manipulating their behaviour to reach death locations optimal for spore dispersal.
Fungal entomopathogens have been formulated and commercialized as insecticides, known as mycoinsecticides. These are considered environmentally friendly alternatives to synthetic chemical insecticides. However, caution must be taken when using pesticides, as they can negatively impact beneficial fungi activity and disrupt the ability of naturally occurring fungal pathogens to control pests.
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Insects can be pests for mushroom farmers
Mushrooms are a great cash crop for small farms due to their ability to grow indoors without sunlight. However, the same conditions that guarantee robust growth of these fungi can also become an ideal breeding ground for pests that can decimate a mushroom crop. Controlling and eradicating these pests should be a top concern for mushroom growers.
The Sciarid fly, also known as the fungus gnat, is one of the most common and damaging insects encountered when growing mushrooms indoors. These flies can destroy a fungus crop, leaving mushrooms brown, leathery, and inedible. The Sciarid fly's larvae are voracious eaters that devour mycelium and compost. After about 15 days of feeding, they enter a pupal stage by spinning a web around themselves. Adult Sciarid flies are most evident around light sources and have a black body, long antennae, and gray wings.
Another pest that can be detrimental to mushroom crops is the Phorid fly. In their early stage as creamy-white maggots, they feed selectively and are usually tolerable. However, once they transform into flies, they can transmit fungal and bacterial diseases through the crop. The adult Phorid fly has a distinctive hunchbacked and stocky appearance and is highly active, often hopping erratically.
Other common pests in mushroom cultivation include mites, slugs, nematodes, and various types of flies such as the Cecid fly. Mites are tiny arachnids that feed on the mushroom mycelium and can quickly multiply, causing significant damage. Slugs, apart from consuming mushrooms, also carry diseases and bacteria that can further harm the crop.
To prevent and manage pest infestations, mushroom farmers can employ a range of strategies. Regular monitoring of the mushroom farm is crucial to detect infestations early. Maintaining a clean growing environment, using sterile growth mediums, and implementing preventative measures are essential. Natural pest control methods include introducing predators, parasites, and pathogens that target the pests. For example, beneficial nematodes can be used to control fungus gnats. Companion planting with herbs like basil, marigolds, or chives can also help repel certain insect pests by masking the scent of the mushrooms. Additionally, organic fungicides and insecticides are preferred over conventional pesticides due to their eco-friendly nature.
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Some insects are attracted to glowing mushrooms
Mushrooms are a profitable crop for small farms, as they can be grown indoors without sunlight. However, mushroom farms can be breeding grounds for pests, including various species of flies, such as cecid flies, phorid flies, and sciarid flies, which can decimate crops.
Some species of mushrooms, however, use light to their advantage to lure insects. Certain mushrooms can glow in the dark due to a chemical reaction between oxyluciferin molecules, the enzyme luciferase, and oxygen—the same reaction that causes fireflies to light up. This phenomenon, called foxfire, occurs primarily in fungi growing on decaying wood.
The bioluminescent Agaricales fungi, for example, emit a steady green light at night to attract lovesick beetles. Other brightly glowing mushrooms include Panellus stipticus, Mycena luxaeterna, Omphalotus olearius, and Neonothopanus gardneri, which grows at the base of palm trees in Brazilian forests.
Scientists have hypothesized that these luminous mushrooms glow to attract insects that will spread their spores. To test this theory, researchers placed plastic mushroom decoys at the base of trees, some lit with green LEDs, and counted the number of insects that landed on each imitation mushroom. They found that the glowing decoys attracted far more insects than the dark ones.
By glowing at night, these fungi exploit the reproductive strategies of insects to advance their own reproductive goals. Insects are drawn to the light, mistaking the fungi for potential mates, and inadvertently become covered in fungal spores, which they then transport to different locations.
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Fungi are used as biological pesticides
Mushrooms are edible fungi that are grown indoors in a carefully controlled environment as they do not require sunlight. However, this environment is also ideal for pests that can decimate a mushroom crop. The Sciarid fly, also known as the fungus gnat, is one of the most common and damaging insects encountered when growing mushrooms indoors. Other pests include the Cecid fly, Phorid fly, and various other species of flies.
Fungi are also used as biological pesticides and can be a great environmentally friendly alternative to conventional pesticides. They are safer to use as they are less toxic and pose fewer risks to beneficial organisms, including pollinators. Biopesticides are certain types of pesticides derived from natural materials such as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals. They are often effective in very small quantities and decompose quickly, resulting in lower exposure and less pollution.
One of the most widely used fungi in biopesticides is Beauveria bassiana, which infects a range of insects and is commercially formulated as products including Naturalis L, Naturalis H&G, Mycotrol, and BotaniGard. Beauveria bassiana effectively targets the pecan weevil, Colorado potato beetle, and kudzu bug, among other pests. Another commonly used fungus is Metarhizium, or the green muscardine fungus, which helps shield crops from beetle grubs, wireworm, corn rootworms, and countless other insects.
The use of biopesticides is projected to grow faster than traditional synthetic pesticides in the coming years due to the growth of the organic produce industry and the challenges in getting approval for novel synthetics. However, biopesticides can be more expensive, require special storage, and need to be applied more frequently than conventional pesticides.
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Frequently asked questions
No, mushrooms are fungi. Fungi are a separate kingdom of organisms, distinct from plants and animals.
Insects are a common pest for mushroom farmers, as they are attracted to the fungi. Flies, in particular, can destroy a mushroom crop. However, some mushrooms are also toxic to insects.
Flies, such as the Sciarid fly, can decimate a mushroom crop, leaving the mushrooms brown, leathery, and inedible. Flies are attracted to mushroom farms as ideal breeding grounds. The larvae of the cecid fly, for example, are legless maggots that spread by sticking to tools and equipment.
