In the remote Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, a rare fungus grows inside dead caterpillars. In traditional Chinese medicine, this parasitic fungus is prized for its purported medicinal effects. Known as Ophiocordyceps sinensis – colloquially, caterpillar fungus or “Himalayan gold” – it can fetch astronomical prices on the herbal medicine market: up to US$63,000 per pound.
Ophiocordyceps sinensis fungus is a parasite that targets the caterpillar that is the larva of the ghost moth. The process begins in late summer to early fall, when fungal spores infect the caterpillars. Over time, fungal filaments called mycelia slowly spread out and consume the caterpillars from within, turning them into hardened, mummified shells by winter. When spring arrives, the fungus enters its final stage: A grasslike fruiting body sprouts from the preserved caterpillar’s head and pushes up through the soil.
