Mushroom Blog

a vibrant garden scene with a person holding a handful of rich, dark spent mushroom substrate, surrounded by lush green plants and colorful mushrooms, with a rustic wooden compost bin in the background

Spent Mushroom Substrate: Waste or Resource?

Mushroom EcologyZombie Mushrooms

Learn how to reuse spent mushroom substrate for compost, gardening, or mushroom regrowth. Discover sustainable options post-harvest.

a ladybug interacting with various fungi in a lush, miniature ecosystem with distorted, dreamlike shapes, showcasing parasitic, symbiotic, and predatory relationships

Ladybug Fungi: Friend or Foe?

Mushroom EcologyZombie Mushrooms

Discover three fascinating fungi that live with ladybugs—parasites, allies, and deadly enemies—exploring their role in ecosystems and pest control.

Astraeus earthstar mushrooms with exaggerated, warped shapes, split between a Thai jungle and an American forest, showcasing their genetic uniqueness with glowing DNA strands floating around

Astraeus Earthstars: Are They Really the Same Species?

Mushroom EcologyZombie Mushrooms

Discover why Astraeus earthstars differ by region and what makes Thai vs American species genetically unique. Learn the science of mushroom diversity.

Red-cockaded woodpecker pecking near glowing fungal rot in pine tree with psychedelic forest background depicting mutualism between bird and Porodaedalea pini fungus

Can Fungus Help Save the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker?

Mushroom EcologyZombie Mushrooms

Discover how Porodaedalea pini fungus helps the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker build nests and why this rare bird-fungus bond matters.