any other useful insects?

Thanks for the link!

Fungi Perfecti is primarily Paul's business site, with some links to mushroom info. It used to be more extensive there, so I don't know where to find his various "white papers" and such. You'll just have to look for more about him and his research elsewhere.

Here's a link to his most recent Bioneers talk on a permaculture site.

But bees go for the pollen in a plant. I don't think they eat the leaves.

There is a video ( I think maybe PBS) about how plants talk to each other. I watched it recently.

http://video.pbs.org/video/2338524490/

It does not exactly discuss what the fungus that this thread is about, but it does demonstrate ways in which plants use natural processes to fight pests, insects, etc. It suggests that the workings of natural pesticides or repellents might work without harming bees and butterflies.

existing company. Potential investors aren't stupid, and some are even environmentally friendly.

A patent like that isn't going to sit dormant for years, if it actually works. I remember back in the 1970s, lots of folks believed some guy had developed a carberauter that would get 200 miles to the gallon. They claimed Detroit automakers were ignoring it. I never figured out why it would be automakers. I could understand Oil companies, but would think at least one automaker -- or upstart -- would adopt it if it actually existed.

If this process works, is efficient, can be used by almost anyone -- an Environmental organization could put together enough friendly investors who could provide the money to roll it out.

Now if Monsanto -- or someone similar -- bought the patent to leave it unused, that's a different story. But, we would know that, and know something about the patent holder too.

it than their current pesticides, they'd sell it to customers in a heartbeat. At the very least, they'd buy the patent, develop it, "go green" (aka bribe the government into outlawing the dangerous chemicals that they and their competitors use under the guise of safety), and be the only one left with a legal pesticide, which would artificially drive up the price. The only real danger to their profit model is (if they owned this patent) would be if it were something anyone could easily produce themselves.

Monsanto and others to be moribund. A patent is one thing. A fully developed insect control method is quite another. The effect on beneficial insects, for example would have to be tested in depth.

If this works, then Monsanto or some other corporation would pay huge bucks for this patent. But, we don't know if it works or not. It's just a patent. I don't see much about large scale testing in this article from an advocacy website.

In the meantime, Google fungal insecticides. This is not a new idea. Biopesticides are already in use in agriculture, as well. Not every "exciting new development" will pan out.

ETA: And then there's this from another weird angle, if you'e a Morgellon's believer. The Internet is full of weird stuff, it seems. Here's another advocacy website that thinks bioinsecticides are pretty dangerous. So, who are you going to believe? Me? I go look at scientific papers, not advocacy websites.

http://www.morgellons-research.org/morgellons/morgellons-disease-factors.htm

can do amazing things. There are people at Monsanto shitting bricks over this, you can bet.

By the dude in the pic with the Giant Shroom.

Not that huffpost is reliable always, but I think the story is:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-stamets/mushrooms-cancer_b_1560691.html

How is a family of mushrooms that makes insecticides supposed to destroy a company that doesn't make insecticides? Monsanto makes seed and herbicides. BASF, Bayer and Syngenta, among others, make insecticides.

Just because someone files a patent for something, doesn't mean it's commercially viable. Fungus based pesticides are nothing new and have a number of issues with commercial viability.

The mushroom insecticides could easily be used along with Roundup in a farmer's total pest-control program.

The gene for this toxin is what they splice into the RNA of their poison corn seeds to kill-off insects.

Sounds GMOey to me.

Sid

but leaves our Honey Bee Colonies alone,
I"ll drive out there and kiss his ass.

Hopefully, Fire Ants will be as susceptible.

....but still worry about our Honey Bee Colonies.

is that it says the fungus specializes in a particular insect. So I suppose you could order up the ant fungus and the bees would be safe. My mind was just blown...

The reason being that its the entire farming protocol that's disjointed and damaging to nature, not just the chemicals. We give out these poisons willy-nilly literally to any Tom Dick or Harry with little regard for the environment where it is to be used. It's the sales that matter.

New farming protocols are needed to address climate change issues and sustainability (including urban beekeeping). Unfortunately sustainability and capitalism can't operate within the same sphere.

- So we'll have to choose what's more important t us: Profits, or our own and our children's lives......

I have told my friends for years: the disease that annihilates humanity is going to be a fungal infection. The doomsday clock just ticked!

I take healing mushroom because of Paul Stamets! I love that guy! A real hero!

Monsatan is a ZERO!