Emma Wilson
Mushrooms are a type of fungus, not insects. However, there is a complex relationship between insects and mushrooms. Mushrooms are susceptible to various insect pests, such as flies, that can decimate crops. On the other hand, certain types of mushrooms, like Cordyceps, are known to infect and grow on insects, even sprouting from their flesh. Additionally, insects play a role in the cognitive functions of some mushrooms, with mushroom bodies in insect brains serving as odorant processors and higher brain centers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Are mushrooms insects? | No |
| Are insects pests for mushrooms? | Yes |
| Insects that are pests for mushrooms | Sciarid Fly, Cecid Fly, Phorid Fly |
| What do Phorid Flies do to mushrooms? | Feed on the mycelium, stipe, and gills of mature mushrooms |
| What do Sciarid Flies do to mushrooms? | Devour mycelium and compost, causing mushrooms to become brown and leathery |
| What is the role of mushroom bodies in insects? | Odor processing, cognition, memory, and learning |
| What is the role of mushroom bodies in honey bees? | Learned behaviors |
| What is the role of mushroom bodies in locusts? | Odor representations |
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What You'll Learn
Mushrooms that grow on insects
Mushrooms are not insects, but some mushrooms do grow on insects. The Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, commonly known as the zombie-ant fungus, is an insect-pathogenic fungus. It infects ants, specifically those from the tribe Camponotini, including carpenter ants (genus Camponotus). The fungus spreads in the ant's body, producing compounds that affect the ant's hemocoel and manipulate its behavioural patterns. The infected ant exhibits full-body convulsions, dislodging it from its canopy nest to the forest floor, where the temperature and humidity are suitable for fungal growth. The ant uses its mandibles to attach itself to the underside of a leaf, where it remains until its eventual death. After death, the fungus grows into a fully-fledged fruiting body that sprouts from the insect's flesh.
The Cordyceps mushroom is another example of a fungus that grows on insects. Its spores infect and kill insects, growing into fruiting bodies that sprout from the insect's flesh. Cordyceps mushrooms have significant medicinal potential due to their bioactive compound cordycepin, which could be developed into powerful new antiviral medications and cancer drugs.
In popular culture, Ophiocordyceps unilateralis has been featured in video games such as Cult of the Lamb and The Last of Us, where it infects humans and creates zombie-like enemies.
While mushrooms themselves are not insects, the term "mushroom body" is used to describe specific structures in the brains of insects that play crucial roles in cognition, olfactory discrimination, learning, and memory. These mushroom bodies have been studied in insects such as the locust Schistocerca americana and the honey bee, revealing their importance in mediating learned behaviours and encoding specific odors.
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Insects as pests for mushrooms
Mushrooms are susceptible to a variety of pests and diseases, which can significantly impact crop quality and yield. Proper sanitation methods and adequate disease management are crucial to prevent and control infestations. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices can help mushroom growers prevent and reduce the spread of pests. Additionally, pasteurization of the soil medium before planting a new crop can eliminate insects, nematodes, pest fungi, and other pests in the compost.
One of the most common and destructive pests encountered when growing mushrooms indoors is the Sciarid fly, also known as the fungus gnat. These flies can decimate a mushroom crop, leaving the mushrooms brown, leathery, and inedible. Sciarid fly larvae, known as maggots, voraciously feed on the mycelium and compost, destroying mushroom tissue. Adult sciarid flies do not feed on mushrooms but can carry pathogens such as mites, nematodes, and mold spores.
Another significant pest is the Phorid fly, which is often more numerous than Sciarid flies but causes less damage. In their early stages, Phorid flies feed selectively on the mycelium and are usually tolerable. However, once they mature into flies, they can transmit fungal and bacterial diseases. Phorid fly larvae are creamy-white maggots that can tunnel through the mushroom stem, weakening it and making the mushrooms susceptible to falling off.
Other pests that can affect mushroom crops include snails, slugs, and the Cecid fly. Snails and slugs can devour entire clusters of mushrooms overnight, while Cecid flies can rapidly multiply under optimal conditions. Proper identification of these pests and timely implementation of control measures are essential to protect mushroom crops from significant damage.
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Insects as food for mushrooms
Insects and mushrooms have a complex and fascinating relationship. While mushrooms are not insects, they are often a food source for many insects, and some insects even farm mushrooms.
Ants and Termites
Some species of ants and termites are known to farm mushrooms. Around 220 described species of ants in the tribe Attini cultivate fungi, with the farmed fungi being the only source of food for their larvae. Termites in the subfamily Macrotermitinae cultivate the Termitomyces species of fungi, which grows into a rich source of protein, sugars, and enzymes that the termites consume.
Beetles
Several beetle families, including the Erotylidae, Endomychidae, and certain Tenebrionidae, are specialists in feeding on fungi, although they may also consume other foods. Ambrosia beetles, such as Austroplatypus incompertus, farm ambrosia fungi inside trees and feed on them. The Pleasing Fungus Beetles, or Erotylidae, are small beetles that use mature mushrooms during their larval and adult stages. Ciidae, or minute tree-fungus beetles, live in polypores or bracket fungi and "sniff out" their preferred fungi using chemicals emitted by the fungi.
Flies and Gnats
Fungus gnats and scuttle flies utilize fungi during their larval stage. Stinkhorn mushrooms produce a spore-filled gleba with a rotting flesh smell to attract flies, which then disperse the spores.
Slugs and Snails
Several species of slugs are known to feed on mushrooms, including the milk caps, oyster mushrooms, penny buns, and various other mushroom-producing fungi. Slugs may be selective about the parts or developmental stages of the fungi they consume. Snails are also quick to consume mushrooms.
Other Insects
Mites, springtails, isopods, and various species of insect larvae also feed on mushrooms. Springtails are important decomposers that eat decaying organic matter, including mushrooms.
While mushrooms are a food source for insects, it is important to note that some fungi, like the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungus, can infect and manipulate insects, ultimately leading to their death.
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Insects without mushroom bodies
Mushrooms are not insects. They are fungi. However, there is such a thing as a mushroom body, which is a structure in the brain of arthropods, including insects and some annelids. These mushroom bodies are involved in higher brain functions like learning and memory, particularly regarding smell. They are also known as corpora pedunculata and are usually described as neuropils, or dense networks of neuronal processes.
Mushroom bodies were first identified and described by French biologist Félix Dujardin in 1850. They are a paired structure consisting of thousands of small intrinsic nerve cells called Kenyon cells. These cells receive sensory information and play a specialized role in processing various stimuli, including olfactory, visual, and mechanosensory inputs. The Kenyon cells were first described by F.C. Kenyon in 1896.
While most insects have mushroom bodies, there are some exceptions. For example, studies on representatives of the most basal group of insects, the Archaeognatha, show no evidence of mushroom bodies, although they do have antennal lobes. Another example is the archaeognathan Machilis germanicus, which also lacks mushroom bodies.
The absence of mushroom bodies in some insects suggests that they may have other structures or mechanisms for processing sensory information and performing higher brain functions. Further research and investigations into the brain structures of these insects are needed to understand their unique cognitive abilities and information processing capabilities.
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Insects as medicine for humans
Insects have been used as medicine for thousands of years, dating back to at least 3000 years in China, where silkworms (Bombyx mori L.) and honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) were used for medicinal purposes. The use of insects as medicine has been prominent in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, and is also used in community and family-based medicine in parts of Africa.
In ancient cultures, insects were used to treat various maladies and injuries, and this practice has stood the test of time, with scientists today still studying the medicinal properties of insects. Insects are known to be rich sources of bioactive compounds, which can be used to treat bacterial infections, HIV, and cancer. For example, bee venom has been used in traditional medicine to treat arthritis, rheumatism, pain, cancerous tumors, and skin diseases. It contains a variety of peptides, enzymes, and amines with a range of pharmaceutical properties. In addition, honey has been applied to treat burns, and a combination of honey and beeswax has been used to treat several dermatological disorders, including psoriasis, tinea, and atopic dermatitis.
In Central and South America, the medicinal use of insects is based on the techniques of indigenous peoples. For example, grasshoppers, or "chapulines", are consumed as a toasted dish in Mexico, but they are also used medicinally as a diuretic to treat kidney diseases and intestinal disorders. Indigenous peoples of Mexico also use the femurs of grasshoppers, which resemble the human liver, to treat liver ailments. In India, termite mounds are ground into a paste and applied topically or consumed orally to cure ulcers, rheumatic diseases, and anemia.
In the Tibetan region of China, eleven insects, including flies, ants, butterflies, cicadas, and four kinds of beetles, have been identified as having medicinal properties. However, the overexploitation of medicinal insects in their natural habitats has led to a population crisis, necessitating the investigation of mass-rearing procedures. While entomotherapy, or the use of insects as medicine, has faced challenges such as consumer acceptance and regulation barriers, it has the potential to become a sustainable and cost-effective solution for treating various ailments in the future.
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Frequently asked questions
No, mushrooms are fungi.
Yes, insects such as flies and maggots are known to feed on mushrooms.
Yes, certain types of mushrooms like Cordyceps are known to infect and kill insects.
Mushrooms like Cordyceps infect insects and grow inside their bodies, eventually taking over their behavior and leading to their death.
