Daniel Winkler the best chances to spread its spores authored with Simon Elliot and Harry far and wide. The usual habitat of this Evans (yes, Harry of CABI, UK and o collectors of Yartsa gunbu 2011 carpenter ant is higher up in the drier not to be confused with my Amazon was a lousy year. The BBC (Jolly, canopy. At the end of the branch the MushRoaming buddy, Missoula 2011) broadcasted that caterpillar zombie ant bites into the vein below mycologist Larry Evans) presented the Tfungus ( sinensis) was the leaf, a behavior healthy ants do not split into four of aforementioned species the “Curse of the ,” but all display. Interestingly, once the ant bites native to the highly endangered Atlantic in all, it was a stellar fungal year in the the leaf, its mandibles lock, a reaction forest of Brazil. As it turned out each Western media. From NPR and National known as a “death grip.” A physiological ant species had their personal poisonous Geographic Daily News to Men’s Journal change in the mandibular muscles parasite. This split indicates there might and The New York Post (Giove, 2011) caused by the fungal parasite “transforms be a much higher diversity within the mushroomed on the networks functional mandibles into death grip entomophagous fungi, and more of and in print. Furthermore, not just lock-jaws.” Already in 2010 Hughes et them might turn out to be so narrowly Tibetan caterpillar thrived but al. published a paper that showed this host specific. Zombie Ants crawled into the limelight. “death-grip behavior” was already in Very intriguing were the photos, existence around 48 million years ago as which made it on National Geographic evidenced in a fossil record from now Daily News (2011), and especially the Messel, Germany. Furthermore, in 2011 ost media research results published by a team the gene was identified that activates attention, however, around Penn State’s David Hughes. “topism” in gypsy (Lymantria The media, like Discover Magazine dispar). Topism, which was already zoomed in on a tragic (Zimmer, 2011), Huffington Post, BBC, described in 1890 as Wipfelkrankheit caterpillar fungus event countless blogs and many others leapt on (“tree top disease”) by the German fascinating articles with titles referring biologist Hofmann, is the phenomena … a crime so hideously to zombie ants, whose existence is that infected moths will climb to the top committed, it was nothing new to science, but apparently of a tree to die and liquefy, and by doing impossible to conceal. to the news people. Hughes, Andersen, so, spreading far and wide the infective Hywell-Jones et al. (2011) explain “The viral particles of the Baculovirus that term zombie ants underlines that, made the caterpillar climb the tree in while the manipulated individual may the first place. Kelli Hoover, a Penn State Most media attention, however, look like an ant, it represents a fungal colleague of Hughes, co-authored a zoomed in on a tragic caterpillar fungus genome expressing fungal behavior paper (Hoover et al., 2010) on finding the event – no, not the tragedy that happens through the body of an ant.” The paper gene that triggers the behavior, a finding annually to the literally billions of poor is entitled “Behavioral mechanisms and that went beyond the entomoparasitic ghost larvae, but a tragic tale that morphological symptoms of zombie community—not sure if I like to be took place when eight Nepalis were ants dying from fungal infection.” It part of that community!—since it killed when stealthily collecting Yartsa was “found that infected ants behave also was the first solid genetic proof gunbu, as Tibetans and Himalayan as zombies and display predictable of Richard Dawkins’ 1982 theory on inhabitants know Ophiocordyceps stereotypical behaviors of random rather extended phenotype, which suggested sinensis. The eight poachers were busted than directional walking [...]. Transitions “that the genes of an organism can by a local posse while intruding onto the from erratic wandering to death grips on be expressed beyond its immediate caterpillar fungus turf above a remote a leaf vein were abrupt and synchronized biological boundary, extending for village in the Annapurna region. In a around solar noon.” example to birds’ nests, or the behavior nut shell, one poacher got killed in the Hughes’ team researched the of hosts infected by parasites” (Science process of “teaching” the intruders a mechanisms that make the infected Daily, 2009), a hot topic in evolutionary lesson. As a result 36 villagers went Camponotus leonardi ants in the biology. Finally the article “Hidden along with the brilliant idea to kill the Thai rainforest move to the end of a Diversity Behind the Zombie-Ant remaining seven poachers in hope low, shady branch in a more humid Fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis” that no one would ever find out what environment where the fungus has (Evans et al., 2011). Hughes co- happened in the dark of the night to the 34 FUNGI Volume 5:3 WWF’s Norbu sharing the author’s Yartsa gunbu maturity chart with Yabu. Zadoi County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yabu collecting above Da Nge Valley in Zadoi, Yushu, Qinghai, 4800m Eric Hansen, Britt Bunyard (Editor in displayed as a contributor to the Fox (15,000ft). Yartsa gunbu collection Chief of FUNGI) and myself. The gist of News misinformation service. It is not is her main income. She has been Silverman’s story was that Cordyceps has surprising that even Fox News picked up collecting since 25 years, since her early no proven medical value, a statement a caterpillar fungus crime story, it has childhood. that ignores decades of medical research, all the elements of tabloid news: exotic especially in East Asia. A great and location, mass murder and sex. To sell one poor fellow. With eight men gone critical review of Cordyceps sinensis a mushroom story to the mainstream missing and 36 perpetrators—although medical research was published by media is an even more uphill battle sworn to silence—a crime so hideously Paterson in 2008 committed was impossible to conceal. already showing Soon most men of the village were potential uses and arrested and finally in November 2011 dire need of more six of the villagers received life sentences rigorous Western for their role in the killings and thirteen research. others received a two year prison term. Fox News Returning to their slopes for hunting even ran a piece Yartsa gunbu this spring the spirit of the on the story. collectors will surely be weighed down by They contacted the tragic and monstrous act of the past. me for a Yartsa Although the Nepali Caterpillar gunbu image; fungus murders were already published however, they by Jamie James in Men’s Journal in June were not willing 2010, Eric Hansen’s long feature entitled to pay. When “The Killing Fields” in Outside Magazine the Fox News in August 2011 triggered all kinds of representative secondary reports including a short, but tried harder to get good piece in Huffington Post, the BBC my image for free, and several reports on NPR. And since by dangling the Hansen declared me the “the world’s honors of having foremost yarchagumba expert” [using my name on Fox the Nepali version of Yartsa gunbu] I was News, I probably contacted by a bunch of media outlets disappointed including NPR, which really excited me, her by informing since I am a listener-supporter of many her that I did years. NPR’s Lauren Silverman produced not regard it a story called “Caterpillar Fungus: The as an honor to Viagra of the Himalayas” featuring have my name FUNGI Volume 5:3 35 source. I personally first came across this mysterious reference in the writings of George Halpern in 2004 and wrote him requesting more specifics. He kindly replied and suggested I should check with his Chinese research assistant Josh Zhu (Zhu Jia-Shi), who is now senior scientist at Nu Skin, busily working on Cordyceps skin products in Utah. Back then, Dr. Zhu wrote me there was no such source. And, so far, I have not managed to find it anywhere else, although I keep looking since it is not impossible that there might be an older Chinese record than the 1694 compendium of material medica Ben Cao Bei Yao by Wang An, now commonly quoted as the first reference in Chinese medicine.

Cordyceps as medicinal fungus… a challenge to the West Tibetan collectors searching the ground for the tiny brown fruiting bodies of Reducing caterpillar fungus to an Yartsa gunbu. In the background a collectors’ camp used for six weeks in Da Nge aphrodisiac and comparing it to Tiger Valley 4700m (14,600ft) in Zadoi County, Yushu, Qinghai. penis and Rhino horn, as James does than climbing a steep slope at 15,000 the sixth century, but I am sure at some in his Men’s Journal feature, might feet while searching for a the elusive point we will find some website that will suit the publication, but does not do caterpillar fungus as gales, laden with offer evidence the internet was already justice to this medicinal fungus, but icy sleet, threaten to knock you off your up and running back then (but only that would be a whole different story. feet. But the media, ever subservient known to a sworn-in circle of Templars, Also, an omnipresent favorite in many to their readers and their low instincts aliens and Kung Fu masters). Still, this reports is the term “Himalayan Viagra’” needs a powerful hook. And, crime laced mysterious Tang Dynasty text is kept coined by journalists; I suspect Indian with a bit of sex fills that role smugly. alive by Cordyceps dealers, who care journalists, twelve years ago or so; even Where is the sex in this some might more about the bottom line than facts, NPR’s Silverman was compelled to use wonder? Caterpillar fungus is regarded and authors who have not made the the term. However, Cordyceps surely as a powerful aphrodisiac in East Asia, effort to find at least a title or author does not work like Viagra; Cordyceps and that is not just a recent fabrication. of this too often-invoked, mysterious will not erect an instant miracle to help When I asked Jakob Winkler, my twin brother, to translate the oldest text on Yartsa gunbu (Winkler, 2008)—as the name of caterpillar fungus is properly transcribed from Tibetan—authored by the Tibetan doctor Zurkhar Nyamnyi Dorje in the second half of the fifteenth century, the heading reads “An Ocean of Excellent Aphrodisiac Qualities” and the text started with: “In this world sexual bliss is the most marvelous of all pleasures, the essence of the enjoyment of the all senses.” And so far no older textual sources have surfaced. Often invoked is a sixth century Tang dynasty text on caterpillar fungus that only seems to exist in a somewhat hastily compiled chapter on Cordyceps sinensis in Healing Mushrooms, by George Halpern (2007), Two Yartsa gunbu/caterpillar fungi sliced open. Note how the whole inside is which can also be downloaded from completely taken over by the mycelium. The darker coloration is remnants of the the internet, which was not around in larval digestive system. 36 FUNGI Volume 5:3 overcome sexual dysfunction. Like most natural medicines it needs to be taken for quite awhile to make a difference, unless blind trust will give immediate thrust, or more scientifically the libido effect—or was it the placebo effect? Discussing the medicinal value of Cordyceps is a challenging topic. Although there are hundreds of published articles, most research is done in East Asia, especially , and much of it is not up to the standards of the Western medical establishment. Especially, the lack of double blind studies [and we are not taking about studies on the aphrodisiacal powers of Cordyceps where both partners enter the bed blind-folded], is a contentious issue. Anyway, I am no medical practitioner and I gladly leave the job of trying to win over doubters regarding the medicinal propensities of this myco-medicinal to Cordyceps producers and dealers. All I can state is that I keep getting contacted by people who swear that they have tried everything and now since taking wild Ophiocordyceps sinensis whatever health trouble they are plagued by is gone or at least controlled. Moving from anecdotal evidence to more objective reports, two medical news items regarding the capacity of Cordyceps got my attention. The first was a British publication from the University of Nottingham (Wong et al., 2010) that describes as A Yartsa gunbu/caterpillar fungus consisting of the parasitized ghost moth larva having a large spectrum of biological and the fruiting body of Ophicordyceps sinensis. The fruiting body is mature activities, including anti-inflammatory, and just started to sporulate. 4300m / 13,300 ft Dechen Tibetan Autonomous anti-proliferative, and pro-apoptotic Prefecture, Yunnan Province. effects – the latter two referring cells. The paper describes the pathway especially to treating cancer cells; of Cordycepin via mTOR signaling anti-proliferative meaning to inhibit to inhibit cancer cell reproduction, tumor cell growth and pro-apoptotic something Cordycepin was suspected meaning to induce death of tumor to do since the 1950’s, but the mechanism was not yet understood. It seems like I am still stuck in the fifties, he idea [was] to but I recently learned that the mTOR use Cordyceps against signaling pathway regulates key cellular processes such as translation of RNA, multiple sclerosis, an ribosome biogenesis, cell growth and autoimmune disease, autophagy, and is responding to growth factors, energy metabolites and/or since Cordyceps must levels of nutrients. outwit the immune Fingolimod, a new Cordyceps-derived system of the ghost multiple sclerosis drug introduced in 2011 by Novartis under the name moths it feeds on in the Gilenya, is the second interesting Highlands of . medical news item. The narrative according to Kanoko Matsuyama fungifestival.com (2011) of Bloomberg News, Tokyo FUNGI Volume 5:3 37 Office is that 25 years ago the Japanese finding as much as in previous years. is now apparently at risk. One major researcher Tetsuro Fujita had the idea Furthermore, in interviews I carried change I observed is that in the last to use Cordyceps against multiple out in cooperation with the Worldwide five to ten years, people do not stop sclerosis, an autoimmune disease, since Fund for Nature, WWF, to study the collecting when the Yartsa gunbu is Cordyceps must outwit the immune sustainability of the current harvest, it past prime as the larva underground system of the ghost moths it feeds on was repeatedly pointed out to me by the becomes very soft, as most of the in the Highlands of Tibet. Actually, the collectors that the harvesting is getting resources have been consumed in the active ingredient used in Gilenya is harder and harder. Because of increased sporulation process. Once dug up, Myriocin originally derived from collection pressure everybody has to such an almost emptied exoskeleton sinclairii, the anamorph of Cordyceps walk further and to look harder to find softened by chitinase will dry to just sinclairii, which grows on cicadas in Yartsa gunbu. What worried me most a tiny appendix protruding from the East Asia. For drug production the was that seasoned collectors told me fruiting body, a feature not desired at Myriocin is synthesized. The pharma- that sites, that some decades ago used all, it is all about the size of the worm industry analysts are hearing the ring of to have a hundred or more caterpillar after all. In the past, Tibetans would cash registers and searching for Gileny fungi growing closely together, were leave these over-mature specimens in on the internet as first yields suggest a now devoid of Yartsa gunbu. These the ground and they could continue to plethora of projected profits. In 2011 it reports made me rethink my previous produce and spread their spores to make was speculated that it will generate up position that Yartsa gunbu is very sure the fungus can infect enough ghost to US$5 billion a year in global annual resilient to collection, a perspective moth larvae ( spp.) to secure sales and Gilenya is projected to reach supported by several hundred years of next year’s crop. Although it appears the top ten drugs, no, not most efficient continued collection. that it was not a conscious traditional or most expensive, just highest grossing management approach, nevertheless it drugs. The cost of treatment with Gilenya seemed to have functioned well as such. at $3000 per month surely matches the Now, with the new complete dependence astronomical costs of real Yartsa gunbu - on Yartsa gunbu money these way-past- Ophiocordyceps sinensis [although the list prime specimens are collected and sold of Gilenya’s serious side effects including mixed in with the prime Yartsa gunbu. lethal ones clearly outshines O. sinensis]. The buyers do not like this practice, they However, I highly doubt the Novartis are mostly interested in a well preserved marketing team based their price on the complex of larva and fungus, but the current value of Yartsa gunbu. Novartis Tibetan sellers offer it as an “all or would probably charge the same amount nothing” deal. if the base was tsampa, roasted Tibetan Among the objectives of the WWF barley, as long as patients were in dire mission was to find out how the need with few alternatives. collectors would react to the suggestion of leaving the over-mature specimens in An uncertain future ahead for the ground as investment for the future. Yartsa gunbu Before suggesting such a practice I had Dreams of huge profit were also to introduce the collectors to the fact prevalent on the in that Yartsa gunbu reproduces via spores early 2011. The previous year had and I brought images to illustrate the been an excellent one for most Yartsa point. In general it is only recently that gunbu collectors. However, a great Tibetans have learned that Yartsa gunbu Cordyceps media year did not translate is a fungus, and so far no one seems to into a banner harvest season. Collectors have an idea how it reproduces or rather, over most of the caterpillar fungus most people assume it is rangjung, distribution area on the Tibetan Plateau A fresh Yartsa gunbu/caterpillar “self-manifesting,” a term also used for and the Himalayan Range were unhappy fungus consisting of the parasitized natural rejuvenation of trees, but more with the scant harvest. When asked ghost moth larva and the fruiting body commonly used for sacred symbols about slim pickings, native Tibetan of Ophicordyceps sinensis. The fruiting miraculous manifesting out of a rock, collectors in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous body is just emerging from the ground a common feature all over the Tibetan Prefecture, Qinghai Province, blamed and darkens with exposure. It does Plateau. I double-checked this point the low harvest on a dry winter and lack not produce spores in this stage, but and most interviewees understand the of spring showers that usually would is most sought after. 4400m/13,600 rangjung as actually self-manifesting precede a good Yartsa gunbu harvest like ft Nagchu, Nagchu Prefecture, Tibet and had not thought about a connection the one in 2010. And, of course, everyone Autonomous Region. between harvesting intensity and future is aware of the fact that now there are so production. Rather, Tibetan collectors many pickers, all financially dependant on However, the collection intensity has blamed Chinese mining activities the sumptuous fungal income, that it gets increased so much that a balance that somewhere beyond the local mountain harder and harder for each family to keep seemed to have functioned for centuries range for undermining Mother Nature’s 38 FUNGI Volume 5:3 forces and thus weakening her energy interventions Tibetan communities fun following fungi on the Tibetan and reducing grassland fertility and frequently have to cope with since Plateau. I am also grateful to Professor Yartsa gunbu production. “peaceful liberation.” So, right now WWF- David Hughes for double-checking the Anyway, once I introduced collectors China is working on such an information section on Zombie ants and providing to the reproductive cycle of Yartsa campaign. The fact that making a his image for publications and to Dr. gunbu—and every collector is very relatively small sacrifice, giving up picking Denis Benjamin for taking a look on the familiar with the stages of maturity the least valued product, which is not medical section. Last and for sure not since they influence the value of Yartsa even desired by the dealers, could make least I thank my dear wife Heidi Schor gunbu—no one had a problem accepting a difference is encouraging and I really who tried her best to unknot some of my the new knowledge. Not too surprising hope it will help ensure Yartsa gunbu convoluted phrasing. since everything else reproduces via remains a precious and bountiful Tibetan seeds as well. We asked the collectors if Plateau fungus that can be collected by Sources they would be willing to forgo picking many generations to come. (for links to all these papers please over-mature low-value Yartsa gunbu go to my Cordyceps blog at http:// (only 10% of prime value). Most Tibetans Acknowledgements blog.mushroaming.com/2012/05/02/ said something to the affect of “when I want to acknowledge my Tibetan cordyceps-in-2011.aspx) everybody quits picking the old ones, co-workers who patiently roam remote Evans, H.E., S.L. Elliot, and D.P. then I will quit too” and many of them Yartsa gunbu habitat with me, and all the Hughes. 2011. Hidden diversity behind suggested such a step would need to collectors and dealers who generously the zombie-ant fungus Ophiocordyceps be decided by village councils or other share their insights. Furthermore I unilateralis: Four new species described political bodies higher up. Such an want to thank WWF-USA and WWF- from carpenter ants in Minas Gerais, approach might preempt heavy handed China for respectively sponsoring and Brazil. PloS One 4(5): 598 – 602. top-down management approaches, organizing my 2011 Qinghai field work Giove, C. 2011. New Yorkers paying like seriously reducing the collectors or and all participants of my MushRoaming $800 an ounce for worms that promise completely closing off an area—radical Eco-Tours who make it even more sexual prowess. The New York Post,

A carpenter ant carcass killed by Ophiocordyceps camponoti-balzani. Photo courtesy D. Hughes. FUNGI Volume 5:3 39 January 16, 2011. leaf scars reveal ant fungal . Evolutionary Biologists Rally behind Halpern, G. 2007. Healing Biology Letters 7(1): 67-70. Richard Dawkins’ Extended Phenotype. Mushrooms: Effective Treatment James, J. 2010. ’s Aphrodisiac January 19, 2009. for Today’s Illnesses. Square One War. Men’s Journal volume137, May, Silverman, L. 2011. Caterpillar Publishers. 2010. Fungus: The Viagra of The Himalayas. Hansen, Eric. 2011 The Killing Jolly, J. 2011. Yarsagumba: Curse of NPR, October 9, 2011. Fields: The skyrocketing market value Himalayan Annapurna region. BBC Stone, M. 2011. Parasite gene makes of yarchagumba, a rare fungus prized News, Katmandu, January 4, 2011. caterpillars do bidding. Decode Science as an aphrodisiac, has led to turf Matsuyama, K. 2011. Himalayan Blog. wars—and possibly murder. Outside Fungus Aids Mitsubishi Tanabe Winkler, D. 2008. The Mushrooming Magazine, September, 2011. Sales with Multiple Sclerosis Drug. Fungi Market in Tibet - Exemplified Hoover, K., M. Grove, M. Gardner, Bloomberg News, February, 2011. by Cordyceps sinensis and Tricholoma D.P. Hughes, J. McNeil and J. Slavicek. National Geographic Daily News. matsutake, in The Shadow of the 2011. A gene for an extended 2011. Photos: “Zombie” Ants Found Leaping Dragon: Demography, phenotype. Science 333: 1401. With New Mind-Control Fungi, Text Development, and the Environment Huffington Post . 2011a. New Matt Kaplan, March 3, 2011. in Tibetan Areas. Journal of the Zombie-Creating Fungi Discovered National Geographic Radio Weekend. International Association of Tibetan (BBC VIDEO) March 2, 2012. 2011. Feature on Cordyceps—Boyd Studies 4. Huffington Post . 2011b. Caterpillar Matson interviews Daniel Winkler, Wong Y.Y., A. Moon, R. Duffin, A. Fungus Transforms Tibet With Huge April 16, 2011. Barthet-Barateig, H.A. Meijer, M.J. Cash Influx. October 10, 2011. Paterson, R. M. 2008. Cordyceps—A Clemens, and C.H. de Moor. 2010. Hughes, D.P., S. Andersen, N.L. traditional Chinese medicine and Cordycepin inhibits protein synthesis Hywel-Jones, W. Himaman, J. Bilen, another fungal therapeutic biofactory? and cell adhesion through effects and J.J. Boomsma. 2011. Behavioral Phytochemistry 69: 1469–1495. on signal transduction. Journal of mechanisms and morphological Rundle, M. 2011. Zombie Animals: Biological Chemistry 285(4): 2610– symptoms of zombie ants dying from Fungi, Insects and Parasites That 2621. fungal infection BMC Ecology 11: 13. Resemble the Walking Dead. Huffington Zimmer, C. 2011. More eldritch ant Hughes D.P., T. Wappler, and C.C. Post UK, March 10, 2011. horror! Discover Magazine Blogs, May Labandeira. 2010. Ancient death-grip Science Daily. 2009. European 9, 2011.

he New York Mycological Society, a not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to educating the public about mushrooms, was founded 50 years ago at The New School as a Tseminar in mushroom identification taught by the composer John Cage. The Society is celebrating its anniversary with a presentation—in theater and in exhibition—that explores a life in mushrooms of its founder whose centenary is also this year. Both events will be held at The Cooper Union the weekend of September 7-8, 2012. The theatrical event, to be held in the Great Hall on Saturday, September 8, will be a grand multi-media Cagean simulteneity featuring live performance, a special realization of Cage’s 49 Waltzes for the Five Boroughs, and a lively visual backdrop of mushroom stills and movies collected and produced over the last fifty years. The gallery event will include ephemera from the NYMS archives, original pages from Cage and Lois Long’s Mushroom Book, mushroom art by present and former NYMS members and a display of mushroom specimens collected from the NYC environment. The program is entitled100/50th/Cage/NYMS — Roaming Urban Soundscapes and is being held as a benefit for the NYMS and the John Cage Trust.

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