Emily Johnson
Mushrooms and insects have a complex relationship. While mushrooms are not insects, they are often consumed by insects and other invertebrates, such as slugs and snails. Some mushrooms, like the Cordyceps, are parasitic and feed on insects. In addition, mushrooms are susceptible to various insect pests, such as flies and mites, which can decimate crops. Interestingly, both mushrooms and insects have structures called mushroom bodies in their brains, which are involved in olfactory learning and memory. These mushroom bodies are also being studied for their potential medicinal benefits.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Are mushrooms insects? | No. |
| Are insects mushrooms? | No. |
| What are mushrooms? | Fungi. |
| What are insects? | A class of arthropods. |
| Can insects eat mushrooms? | Yes. Squirrels and deer eat mushrooms. Insects like flies, mites, springtails, and maggots also eat mushrooms. |
| Can mushrooms eat insects? | Yes. The Cordyceps mushroom is known to infect and kill insects. |
| Do mushrooms have brains? | No, but they have been known to manipulate insect brains. |
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What You'll Learn
- Mushrooms are not insects, but pests like flies and maggots can infest them
- Some mushrooms are grown on insects in labs to increase their medicinal value
- Insects, like bees, have structures in their brains called mushroom bodies that help with learning and memory
- Mushroom bodies are involved in olfactory learning and memory, especially for smell
- Mushroom bodies are not exclusive to insects and are also found in crustaceans and some annelids
Mushrooms are not insects, but pests like flies and maggots can infest them
Mushrooms are a type of fungus, and while they are not insects, they do share a complex relationship with them. Insects like flies and their maggot larvae can infest mushrooms, while some mushrooms can even grow on insects.
Mushrooms are not insects; they are fungi, a kingdom of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as moulds and yeasts, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. Fungi play an essential role in the decomposition of organic matter and the recycling of nutrients, and they have a complex relationship with insects.
While mushrooms themselves are not insects, they can be a source of food and infestation for certain insects. Flies, such as the Sciarid fly (also known as fungus gnats), are a common pest for mushroom growers. The adult flies are attracted to light sources, while their maggot larvae feed on the mycelium, stipe, and gills of mature mushrooms. Other pests that can infest mushrooms include mites, springtails, slugs, snails, and isopods.
To prevent and control infestations, mushroom growers must employ proper sanitation methods, such as pasteurising the soil medium before planting a new crop. Pasteurisation involves raising the temperature of the compost to 140 degrees Fahrenheit for at least four hours, which eliminates insects, nematodes, and other pests. However, it is important to note that pasteurisation only protects the early growth of mushrooms and does not prevent pests from invading from external sources.
While mushrooms are not insects, some mushrooms, like the Cordyceps mushroom, are known to grow on insects. The spores of Cordyceps infect insects, eventually killing them and growing into fruiting bodies that sprout from the insect's flesh. This gruesome process has led to scientific interest in the medicinal potential of Cordyceps, as it contains a bioactive compound called cordycepin, which may have powerful antiviral and anticancer properties.
In summary, mushrooms are not insects, but they do have a complex relationship with them. Insects can infest and feed on mushrooms, while some mushrooms can even grow on insects. Proper sanitation and pest control practices are crucial for mushroom growers to prevent infestations and protect their crops.
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Some mushrooms are grown on insects in labs to increase their medicinal value
Mushrooms are not insects. However, some mushrooms, such as the Cordyceps mushroom, grow by infecting insects with their spores and feeding on their flesh. This parasitic relationship ends when the spores fully mature and kill their insect hosts.
The Cordyceps mushroom is known for its medicinal properties, containing a bioactive compound called cordycepin, which has been linked to powerful new antiviral and anticancer medications. However, the mushroom is rare in the wild, and growing healthy Cordyceps in a laboratory setting has been challenging, which impedes scientific research.
To overcome this challenge, Professor Mi Kyeong Lee of Chungbuk National University and her team, including Dr Ayman Turk, have found a way to cultivate these elusive fungi in a controlled setting without losing their potency. They experimented with different commercially available edible insects to provide the best nutrition for the mushrooms. The insects used included crickets, silkworm pupae, mealworms, grasshoppers, white-spotted flower chafer larvae, and Japanese rhinoceros beetles.
The researchers found that the fat content of the insect food source, specifically high levels of oleic acid, was critical for cordycepin production. Cordyceps mushrooms grown on insects with high oleic acid content showed significantly increased cordycepin levels compared to those grown on grains or brown rice. This discovery offers hope for researchers seeking new medicines to combat devastating illnesses.
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Insects, like bees, have structures in their brains called mushroom bodies that help with learning and memory
Mushrooms are not insects. However, there are structures in the brains of insects called mushroom bodies. These are a pair of structures found in the brains of arthropods, including insects and crustaceans, and some annelids. They were first identified and described by French biologist Félix Dujardin in 1850.
Mushroom bodies are mainly composed of the long, densely packed nerve fibres of the Kenyon cells, the intrinsic neurons of the mushroom bodies, first described by F.C. Kenyon in 1896. These cells have been found in the mushroom bodies of all species that have been investigated, though their number varies. Fruit flies, for example, have around 2,500, whereas cockroaches have about 200,000.
Mushroom bodies are known to play a role in olfactory learning and memory. They are also involved in associative learning, sensory filtering, motor control, and place memory. They are the subject of intense research, and much of what is known about them refers to a few insect species, including the honeybee, fly (Drosophila), cricket, grasshopper, locust, and cockroach.
In larger insects, studies suggest that mushroom bodies have other learning and memory functions. For example, in bees, mushroom bodies are involved in the act of refining existing behaviours into more efficient forms. Bees can also remember when and where sites are rewarding and will change their preferences for particular sites based on the time of day.
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Mushroom bodies are involved in olfactory learning and memory, especially for smell
Mushroom bodies are a pair of structures found in the brains of arthropods, including insects and crustaceans, and some annelids. They are named for their roughly hemispherical shape, resembling a mushroom. These structures are known to play a crucial role in olfactory learning and memory, especially in larger insects.
Mushroom bodies have been studied extensively, particularly in a few species of insects, including cockroaches, honey bees, locusts, and Drosophila (fruit flies). Research has shown that these structures are indispensable for olfactory discrimination, learning, and memory. For example, in honey bees, studies have shown that a specific type of efferent neuron, Pe1, plays a role in mediating learned behaviours. Recordings from these neurons demonstrate a decrease in responsiveness when an olfactory stimulus is associated with a gustatory stimulus.
Similarly, studies on the locust Schistocerca americana have indicated that mushroom bodies are essential for encoding and representing specific odors. The mushroom bodies receive olfactory input from the antennal lobes, which are connected to the antennae, the primary olfactory organ in insects. This input allows mushroom bodies to process and discriminate between different odors, contributing to the insect's ability to learn and remember specific smells.
Recent studies on Drosophila have further emphasized the role of mushroom bodies in olfactory learning and memory. These studies have shown that dopamine neurons are crucial for forming olfactory memories, and manipulating mushroom bodies can disrupt this function. Additionally, studies have identified memory traces in the Drosophila olfactory system that coincide with molecular changes, providing further insight into the dynamic nature of olfactory learning and memory.
Overall, mushroom bodies are integral to insects' ability to learn and remember smells, with their unique structure and connectivity enabling these vital functions.
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Mushroom bodies are not exclusive to insects and are also found in crustaceans and some annelids
A mushroom is a type of fungus, not an insect. However, the term "mushroom bodies" refers to a pair of structures in the brain of arthropods, which include insects and crustaceans, and some annelids. These structures were first identified in 1850 by French biologist Félix Dujardin and are known to play a role in olfactory learning and memory. They are also believed to be involved in learning and memory functions, such as associative memory, sensory filtering, motor control, and place memory.
Mushroom bodies are typically described as neuropils, or dense networks of neuronal processes (dendrite and axon terminals) and glia. They are named after their roughly hemispherical shape, with a protuberance called the calyx that is joined to the rest of the brain by a central nerve tract or peduncle. While they are best known for their role in olfactory processing, they are also found in anosmic primitive insects, indicating that their function likely extends beyond smell.
The presence of mushroom bodies in insects has been well-studied, particularly in fruit flies, honey bees, cockroaches, and locusts. However, it was historically believed that only insects possessed mushroom bodies as they were not initially found in crabs and lobsters. This view has since been revised with the discovery of mushroom bodies in mantis shrimps and other crustaceans.
The diversity of crustacean mushroom bodies contrasts with the uniformity of mushroom bodies across Hexapoda, except for Archaeognatha. In crustaceans, the peduncles of the mushroom bodies extend through the lateral protocerebrum, with wide-field dendrites extending to numerous glomeruli. This differs from insects, where each glomerulus contains the dendritic trees of a smaller number of PNs.
Mushroom bodies are also found in some annelids, such as the ragworm Platynereis dumerilii and the scale worm Arctenöe vittata. These annelid mushroom bodies have been compared to those of insects, revealing similarities and differences in their structure and function.
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Frequently asked questions
No, mushrooms are fungi.
Insects are animals with a brain and nervous system, whereas fungi are a type of organism that includes mushrooms, mould and yeast.
Yes, many insects eat mushrooms. For example, isopods, slugs, snails and squirrels.
Yes, the Cordyceps mushroom is known for infecting and killing insects, growing into a fruiting body that sprouts from the insect's flesh.
No, but mushrooms do have a structure called a 'mushroom body' that is found in the brains of insects and is involved in olfactory learning and memory.
