Muscardine

[2] While studying muscardine in silkworms in the 19th century, Agostino Bassi found that the causal agent was a fungus.

This was the first demonstration of the germ theory of disease, the first time a microorganism was recognized as an animal pathogen.

[8] To insect mycologists and microbial control specialists, "green muscardine" refers to fungal infection caused by Metarhizium spp., whereas in sericulture, "green muscardine" refers to a similar fungal infection caused by Nomuraea rileyi.

[11] When suffering from white muscardine, an insect larva may become inactive and stop eating.

[11] The fungal layer is tough due to oxalate crystals, and this slows the decay of the body.

After it kills the host, the fungus continues to absorb water from the body, causing it to harden further.

[2] Other insects prone to white muscardine include the brown planthopper[11] and the diaprepes root weevil.

It can produce reddish patches on the external body and powdery masses of spores internally.

[13] Silkworm breeders dust their cages with slaked lime to discourage fungal growth.