My friend posted a picture of a curious bracket fungus coming out of a tree the other day. I thought they looked too young to key out because the bottom wasn't showing any pores. But it turns out what I needed her to do was poke at the bottom and find out that Cryptoporus volvatus keeps its Volva (sack that forms around mushroomy things when they first form) covering its spore surface:
https://www.mushroomexpert.com/cryptoporus_volvatus.html
Now the story gets very interesting. Note the beetle larva who lives in there. Since the fungus covers its spore bearing surface in a sack, how do the spores escape to grow into new fungi? Well Cryptoporus invites beetles to come in and eat some of the spore bearing tissues and in turn exit and spread the spores to new trees. I've not been able to find complete information on this yet.
But here is a curious twist to the story! One species of beetle that has been found to do this is Aethina suturalis, and I've met one of its relatives! Aethina tumida is a beetle who lives in Honeybee hives, curious eh? These beetles do mostly damage! I found these two kissing in the observation hive in the Boston Science Museum a few years ago.
(photos my own)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_hive_beetle
Another beetle in the genus, Aethina concolor, lives in Hibiscus buds (I think other flowers too). These too, cause harm. But there are insects who have evolved to only eat SOME of the flower or fruit, but in the process help pollinate the flowers, so a mutualistic relationship develops. This is what A. suturalis does with the fungus! So there is a chance for A. concolor to evolve into this kind of relationship too!
https://insectsandorganicgardening.com.au/all_insects/hibiscus-flower-beetle/
There are a few more species:
https://www.gbif.org/species/4730123
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