Fungal-feeder
Guides
Ahasverus
Ahasverus is a genus of beetles in the family Silvanidae. The genus is best known for Ahasverus advena (foreign grain beetle), a cosmopolitan stored product pest found in 110 countries. Ahasverus species are primarily fungal feeders, with larvae capable of developing on fungi alone. The genus includes at least two other species found in stored products, though A. advena dominates ecological and economic literature.
Catonia picta
Catonia picta is a planthopper species in the family Achilidae, first described by Van Duzee in 1908. The species belongs to the subfamily Myconinae and tribe Plectoderini. It is a member of the diverse Hemipteran fauna of eastern North America, with documented records across the southeastern and mid-Atlantic United States. As with other achilid planthoppers, it is associated with forest and woodland habitats where it feeds on fungal hyphae.
Cixidia confusa
Cixidia confusa is a species of planthopper in the family Achilidae, first described by Beirne in 1950. It belongs to a group of insects commonly known as achilid planthoppers, which are characterized by their distinctive head morphology and association with fungal hosts. The species has been recorded in North America, with distribution spanning parts of Canada and the northeastern United States. Like other members of Achilidae, it is presumed to feed on fungal mycelium, though specific ecological studies on this species remain limited.
Dienerella ruficollis
Red-necked plaster beetle
A small beetle in the family Latridiidae, commonly known as the red-necked plaster beetle. This species is associated with damp, moldy environments and has been introduced to North America from Europe. It is frequently found in buildings and other human-modified habitats where fungal growth occurs.
Neuroctenus arizonicus
Neuroctenus arizonicus is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Kormilev in 1982. Members of this genus are typically found in association with decaying wood and fungal growth, where they feed on fungal hyphae. The species epithet "arizonicus" indicates its described origin in Arizona.
Pycnopsyche
northern caddisflies
Pycnopsyche is a genus of northern caddisflies comprising approximately 17 described species. Larvae are aquatic shredders inhabiting leaf packs in temperate streams, where they construct portable cases from leaf material. The genus exhibits temporal niche partitioning among sympatric species, with differences in case materials, habitat preferences, and adult flight periods reducing interspecific competition.
Sciophila
fungus gnat
Sciophila is a genus of fungus gnats in the family Mycetophilidae, established by Meigen in 1818. These small flies are characterized by their association with fungal habitats and shadowy environments. The genus includes both widespread Palaearctic species and Neotropical species that have been intercepted as glasshouse contaminants. Species such as Sciophila holopaineni from Finnish Lapland and S. fractinervis from the Neotropics demonstrate the genus's broad geographic range and ecological diversity.
Synecdoche dimidiata
Synecdoche dimidiata is a planthopper in the family Achilidae, a group of fulgoroid insects associated with fungal associations. This species belongs to a poorly studied group of true bugs that feed on fungal hyphae rather than plant sap. Records indicate presence in eastern North America from New England to the southeastern United States.