Bracket-fungi
Guides
Astichus
Astichus is a genus of small parasitoid wasps in the family Eulophidae, subfamily Entiinae. Species are associated with bracket fungi and woody polypores, where they develop as endoparasitoids of Ciidae beetles (minute tree-fungus beetles). The genus was first described by Förster in 1856 and has been recorded from the Nearctic, Palearctic, and Afrotropical regions. South African species exhibit distinctive coloration and patterning that separates them from congeners in other regions.
Ceracis
tree-fungus beetles
Ceracis is a genus of minute tree-fungus beetles (family Ciidae) comprising approximately 56 described species. The genus is characterized by small body size, reduced antennal segmentation (typically 8-9 antennomeres), and pronounced sexual dimorphism in cephalic and pronotal armature. Species within the Ceracis furcifer group exhibit specialized feeding on the blood-red bracket fungus Pycnoporus sanguineus, representing a unique dietary specialization among animals. The genus has a predominantly Neotropical distribution, with records extending from South America through the Caribbean to the southern United States.
Ciidae
Minute Tree-Fungus Beetles, Shelf Fungus Beetles
Ciidae, commonly known as minute tree-fungus beetles or shelf fungus beetles, are a family of small beetles within the superfamily Tenebrionoidea. Adults and larvae inhabit fruiting bodies of bracket fungi (Polyporales), particularly Polyporaceae and Corticiaceae, where they burrow inside the fungal tissue. The family is most diverse in warmer regions but has a cosmopolitan distribution extending to northern latitudes including Scandinavia. Development from egg to adult can occur in as little as two months, and some species are parthenogenetic. A few species, notably Cis chinensis, are recognized as pests of commercially dried fungi.
Cleruchus
Cleruchus is a genus of fairyflies (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) containing minute egg parasitoids. Species in this genus exhibit notable wing dimorphism, with both macropterous and brachypterous individuals occurring within single species. They are associated with bracket fungi and parasitize eggs of beetles, particularly Ciidae. The genus is distributed across the Palaearctic region with records from Europe, Russia, and North America.
Dorcatoma
Dorcatoma is a genus of small beetles in the family Ptinidae (formerly Anobiidae), comprising more than 70 species distributed across temperate regions worldwide but absent from tropical areas. Adults and larvae are closely associated with dead wood, particularly wood softened and decomposed by fungi. Several species have been documented developing within the fruiting bodies of bracket fungi.
Entiinae
Entiinae is a subfamily of chalcid wasps within the family Eulophidae, established by Hedqvist in 1974. It was formerly known as Euderinae until that name was determined to be a junior homonym. The subfamily comprises 18 genera of small parasitoid wasps. Members are known to parasitize insects associated with fungi, particularly fungus beetles in the family Ciidae.
Megalodacne
pleasing fungus beetles
Megalodacne is a genus of large fungivorous beetles in the family Erotylidae, distinguished by their size (9–22 mm), large eyes, and distinctive color patterns of yellow, orange, or red markings on the elytra. Adults and larvae feed on hard bracket fungi, particularly Ganoderma and Fomes species. The genus was established by George Robert Crotch in 1873 and is classified in the subfamily Megalodacninae alongside Episcapha and Episcaphula. Species occur across North America, Asia, Africa, and Southeast Asia, with some exhibiting nocturnal behavior and attraction to light.
Nemapogon
Fungus moths
Nemapogon is a genus of small tineid moths in the subfamily Nemapogoninae, comprising approximately 69 described species as of 2007. Species occupy woodland habitats where larvae develop within bracket fungi on dead wood. Some species are attracted to light and may occasionally be captured in pheromone traps intended for clothes moths. The genus includes species with divergent feeding habits: most are fungivores, while at least one species (N. gersimovi) has been intercepted feeding on stored seeds and grains.
Nemapogon cloacella
Cork Moth
A small fungus moth with wingspan 10–18 mm, characterized by irregularly mottled forewings in black, brown, white and grey. Larvae feed primarily on bracket fungi, particularly oak mazegill (Daedalea quercina) and birch polypore (Piptoporus betulinus), with plant debris consumed when fungal hosts are unavailable. Adults are crepuscular, active throughout summer, and typically encountered at dusk. Widespread across western Palearctic and North America, with preferred habitat in woodlands containing abundant dead trees.
Platydema
Platydema is a genus of darkling beetles (family Tenebrionidae, subfamily Diaperinae) comprising at least 60 described species. Multiple species have been documented as obligately associated with fungal fruiting bodies, with some exhibiting monophagy on specific bracket fungi. The genus has a broad geographic distribution including Asia, Europe, and North America.