Muscardine

Muscardine is a disease of insects. It is caused by many species of entomopathogenic fungus. Many muscardines are known for affecting silkworms. Muscardine may also be called calcino.

While studying muscardine in silkworms in the 19th century, Agostino Bassi found that the causal agent was a fungus. This was the first demonstration of the germ theory of disease, the first time a microorganism was recognized as an animal pathogen.

While muscardine is deadly for insects, it's harmless to humans and other animals. In fact, some types of muscardine fungi are even used in traditional Chinese medicine.

How it works: Fungal spores land on the insect's body and germinate.They then burrow through the insect's cuticle (exoskeleton) and start growing inside. The fungus feeds on the insect's tissues,eventually killing it.

Impact: Muscardine plays a vital role in regulating insect populations in nature. It can also be used as a biological control agent against insect pests in agriculture.

There are many types of muscardine. They are often named for the color of the conidial layer each fungus leaves on its host.