Mushroom dreamscapes + insect consciousness

Hey there, shroomers 🍄

Here’s what we found while foraging ‘round the mushroom world this week…

Eye candy 🍬

Lately, I’ve been obsessed with Hannah Bunzey’s (@hbunzeyart) variety of whimsical, mushroom-filled dreamscapes. The pops of color, the surreal creatures … and who doesn’t love a witchy frog?!

Check out Hannah’s art and shop here!

Psychedelic news ⚖

Veterans for psychedelics 👍 Department of Veterans Affairs officials have been preparing for a psychedelic-assisted therapy rollout for years, with Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal claiming congressional demand for psychedelic legislation surpasses that of cannabis. 

To research or not to research 🤔 The governors of Alaska and Vermont are about to act on bills that would establish task forces to research psychedelic-assisted therapy in their respective states.

Now I’m a beeliever 🐝 A new study found that psilocybin had little effect on users’ belief in God … but significantly increased the belief of insect consciousness.

Grow gourmet 🍽

Mushroom meat 🍔 New mushroom-based burgers and sausages are about to hit the UK, using a proprietary blend of oyster mushroom protein called “Hooba.”

Community garden 🏡 Cincinnati’s Domonique Peebles is turning food deserts into gardens, and his Caps & Trade program teaches people how to grow mushrooms.

50-year highs 👨‍🌾 Türkiye’s Bilecik forests are seeing their best mushroom yields in half a century — and it’s led to a peak in “mushroom safari” tourism in the region.

There’s not mush room in this industry 📈 Rising ocean freight costs have intensified competition among international mushroom fruiting log makers.

Research roundup 🔬

Natural roach remover 🧫 Pathogenic fungi can work with bacteria to increase cockroach mortality. This powerful biopesticide combo could replace the chemical insecticides to which cockroaches have built up resistance. 

Biopesticides … so hot right now 🔥 Proteins from oyster mushrooms can protect potato crops from the Colorado potato beetle. Similarly, researchers analyzed the DNA of Eucalyptus snout beetles to isolate the fungi that naturally infected them — in a way reverse-engineering a more environmentally friendly pest solution.

Mycoremediation in the field 👩‍🔬 Biologists have used spent mushroom blocks to clean an old L.A. freight rail yard of organic contaminants by more than 50%.

Mushroom tech 💡

Myco textiles 👢 Mushroom materials maker MycoWorks has developed a mycelium-based leather alternative — and they’re scaling up for commercial production.

Fungi dye 🌿 Pigment-producing fungi that live on the cricket vine, a medicinal plant native to the Amazon rainforest, could help replace synthetic dyes.

Micro light for myco photography 📸 Photographer Julie Powell documented how she uses a tiny lighting device to shape scenes for the best mushroom closeups.

shroomer’s local focus 🗺

Mushroom walk 🚶‍♂️ Shroomers near Ridgefield, Connecticut, can join mycologist Zaac Chaves for a mushroom walk this Sunday, May 19 from 3:30 to 5 p.m.

Morel madness in Michigan 🍄 The 64th annual National Morel Festival will take place in Boyne City, Michigan, from May 16 to May 19. Click here to learn how you can take part in morel tastings, a competitive hunt, seminars, an arts and crafts show, and more.

Thank you for reading!

shroom on,

Shannon Ratliff & Patrick Calderale