What is the Fungus Caterpillar?
Caterpillar fungi are the result of a parasitic relationship (Mutualism) between a fungus and a larva, commonly to a moth larva. Rarely, a butterfly larva will be turned into a Fungus caterpillar, but only a few cases are actually discovered. In the case of a caterpillar fungus, the fungus eventually takes over the caterpillar's life. On the contrary, Fungus caterpillars are mutually beneficial to each other. It is believed that it happens because of the shortage of the host plant in the middle of caterpillar's growth process. Somehow, floating hyphae in the air capture a weakened caterpillar and start to sprout. The caterpillar is now able to consume dead leaves due to the effect of hyphae. They share the advantageous nutrition and grow large and strong. The mushroom also gains mobility. It allows the mushroom to spread its hyphae in wide range. This is an extremely rare mutation. Furthermore, it is not easy to spot them in nature. The most of the time, the fungus caterpillar crawls on the ground among dead leaves, consuming them slowly. It looks like it is an ordinary mushroom in a bush. ATBE has been confirmed in only one case, but it is believed that the caterpillar and mushroom will be separated when metamorphosis of the caterpillar is completed and it becomes a butterfly.