Entomopathogenic fungi: biological insect control
An adapted retelling of one of Stamets's key topics: Metarhizium and Beauveria fungi as an alternative to chemical insecticides.
Topic
Paul Stamets and his work
An adapted overview of the biography and key research directions of American mycologist Paul Stamets (b. 1955): mycoremediation, mycelium extracts for bees, entomopathogenic fungi, mycorrhiza.
About Stamets
Paul Stamets is an American mycologist, author of "Mycelium Running" and "Fantastic Fungi", co-founder of Fungi Perfecti and the Host Defense brand. A detailed biography is in "Paul Stamets: a short biography of the mycologist".
Main directions
- Mycoremediation. Degradation of hydrocarbons and pesticides, binding of heavy metals. Overview — the "Mycoremediation" topic.
- Mycelium extracts for bees. A series of papers on the effect of supplements on viral load in honeybees. Overview — the "Mushrooms and bees" article.
- Entomopathogenic fungi. Metarhizium, Beauveria and other species as biological control. Overview — the "Entomopathogenic fungi" article.
- Mushrooms and immunity. Beta-glucans, PSK/PSP, innate-immunity receptors — the "Mushrooms and immunity" topic.
- Mycorrhiza and mycoforestry. The role of fungal networks in forest ecosystems and the idea of forestry built on mycorrhizal connections. Overview — the "Mycorrhiza" article.
Books
- "Mycelium Running" (2005)
- Stamets's main popular-science book. An adapted overview — the "Mycelium Running" article.
- "Fantastic Fungi" (2020)
- The companion book to the documentary film of the same name (co-authored with Louie Schwartzberg and Evelyn Draper).
Species connected to Stamets's research
Stamets's materials and the Host Defense company catalog most often mention wood-decay fungi rich in beta-glucans and other bioactive compounds. Species cards — in the mushroom catalog:
- Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) — a wood-decay polypore, one of the key objects in the Host Defense line.
- Agarikon (Laricifomes officinalis) — a wood-decay fungus to which Stamets dedicated separate chapters in "Mycelium Running".
How we work with sources
In the site's materials we adapt Stamets's original texts and accompany them with links to the originals. Where Stamets formulates a hypothesis or a personal position, we mark it. Controversial claims are checked against independent scientific publications — collected in the "Sources" section.
Materials on this topic
Mycelium Running — Stamets's main book: what it is about
An adapted review of Paul Stamets's book Mycelium Running (2005): the four roles of mycelium, key ideas and criticism.
Paul Stamets: a short biography of the mycologist
A short biography of American mycologist Paul Stamets: from a 1970s autodidact to the author of Mycelium Running and co-founder of Fungi Perfecti.
Mycoremediation: how fungi clean soil
An adapted retelling of research on how mycelium breaks down hydrocarbons and pesticides and binds heavy metals in contaminated soils.
Paul Stamets's open letter: legacy, open patents and saving ecosystems
A breakdown of Paul Stamets's open address to the scientific world: transferring patents, protecting ancient forests, fighting the bee pandemic and the role of mycelium in ecology.