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Scarlet Caterpillarclub
cordyceps militaris
51.4427, 6.06087
Field Notes
Description:
Cordyceps militaris is the best-known and most frequently collected bug-killing Cordyceps, but there are dozens of "entomogenous" species in North America. The victim for Cordyceps militaris is a pupa or larva (usually of a butterfly or moth). Its mycelium colonizes the living insect and mummifies it, keeping it alive just long enough to generate the biomass it needs to produce the mushroom--a "spore factory" that allows the Cordyceps to reproduce.
With Cordyceps militaris the bug is buried in the ground or in well decayed wood, which means the mushroom collector usually sees only a little orange club with a finely pimply surface
( http://www.mushroomexpert.com/cordyceps_militaris.html ) {cool article, also in full lenght}
Habitat:
location: North America, Europe
edibility: Inedible
fungus colour: Orange
normal size: Less than 5cm
cap type: Other
stem type: Lateral, rudimentary or absent
spore colour: White, cream or yellowish
habitat: Grows on dead insects
Cordyceps militaris (L. ex St. Amans) Link. Scarlet Caterpillar Club. Fruit body up to 7cm high, cylindrical or club-shaped; bright orange-red; the slightly swollen fertile head has a finely roughened surface and tapers into a smooth, paler, wavy stem. Asci very long, about 4µ wide. Spores threadlike, breaking into barrel-shaped part-spores, 3.5-6 x 1-1.5µ. Habitat singly or numerously on larvae and pupae of butterflies and moths. Quite common. Found throughout North America and Europe. Season September-November. Not edible.
( http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/DisplayBlock~bid~5866.asp )
Notes:
Medicinal importance
Cordycepin, a compound isolated from the "Caterpillar fungus".
The Cordyceps mushrooms have a long history as medicinal fungi. The earliest clear record is a Tibetan medical text authored by Zurkhar Nyamnyi Dorje in the 15th Century outlining the tonic propensities of Yartsa gunbu - Cordyceps sinensis renamed now to Ophiocordyceps sinensis, especially as an aphrodisiac. Although there are often-repeated claims of thousands of years of use in Traditional Chinese medicine, so far no clear textual source has surfaced. Cordyceps has been used to treat several conditions, recently also cancers. Extracts from both mycelium and fruiting bodies of C. sinensis, C. militaris and other Cordyceps species showed significant anticancer activities by various mechanisms such as, modulating immune system and inducing cell apoptosis. Some polysaccharide components and cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) have been isolated from C. sinensis and C. militaris, which acted as potent anticancer components.
Some work has been published in which Cordyceps sinensis has been used to protect the bone marrow and digestive systems of mice from whole body irradiation. An experiment noted Cordyceps sinensis may protect the liver from damage. An experiment with mice noted the mushroom may have an anti-depressant effect. Researchers have noted that Cordyceps has a hypoglycemic effect and may be beneficial for people with insulin resistance (wikipedia)
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deadly for caterpillar ----
id-picture from the book ---> ( http://www.soortenbank.nl/soorten.php?soortengroep=paddenstoelen&id=131 )
---- the caterpillar was already decaying, and the cordyceps-fruitingbody had some white fluff at one spot, if he isn't also started decaying, the the white fluff, could be new mycelium. but more likely could it also be an attack from another fungi.
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