Chanterelles are a welcome prey for any mushroom picker. In any weather, under any circumstances, they remain untouched. However, why is this happening? After all, it is believed that insects are not interested only in poisonous mushrooms, although this statement is extremely controversial.
Chanterelles are not poisonous, which is known to all. And the issue of insects requires a separate consideration.
What is the peculiarity of the chanterelles?
Chanterelle mushrooms appear in deciduous and coniferous forests from mid-June, can appear until the end of autumn, depending on the weather. They grow in moss, can appear in large numbers among the fallen needles, which represent a nutrient substrate for them. Chanterelles rarely grow in the grass. Typically, fruiting bodies appear in groups and are noticeable from afar due to their bright yellow color. If the oil sprouts after the rain, then these mushrooms can appear in relatively dry weather, abundant moisture for them is not a key issue.
Chanterelles rarely spoil. It is not typical for them to rot on the vine, and fruit bodies also tolerate transportation well even in closed containers, although it is extremely undesirable to keep any mushrooms in this way for a long time. People are willing to pick chanterelles just because these mushrooms practically do not need to be peeled. But they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Indeed, insects in chanterelles also do not start - this is true. And the reason for this is the presence in them of certain substances that do not make the product harmful to humans, but successfully destroy insects. D-mannose, which is found in chanterelles, is a unique substance that can destroy parasites both in the process of growth and development of the fungus, and in the future. It should be noted that the metabolism in humans and insects is completely different, and therefore the substance is simply not able to harm a person. But for pests, it is deadly.
Interesting fact: D-mannose is produced by the fungus as a means of self-defense against pests. Many other plants and fungi have similar mechanisms. Unable to escape from enemies, they develop passive defense - produce poisons, grow spines, and gain an unpleasant taste.
It is worth knowing that, in folk medicine, chanterelle preparations are used to destroy helminths and other parasites in the human body - the fungus retains its properties even after digestion, disinfecting the body. After all, the component that is contained in the fruit bodies can even affect insect eggs, which can be laid on the surface or in the flesh while it grows in the forest.
D-mannose, or quinomannose, is a polysaccharide. When an insect enters the digestive system, and even in contact with the surface of the body, the substance exhibits a paralyzing effect. After all, the drug has the ability to block the nervous structure of insects. Initially, the creature loses its ability to move, and then simply dies. However, you should know that the substance is destroyed when exposed to temperatures above 50 degrees, as well as when mixed with salt, acids.
Why can I meet foxes damaged by insects?
However, some mushroom pickers still manage to meet foxes damaged by insects. But anyway it will definitely not be worms. Living in fruiting bodies, creating characteristic channels in the pulp, can black beetle larvae, wireworms. These nimble creatures feel quite comfortable in mushrooms, as they have a dense chitinous shell. Their body is perfectly adapted to a wide range of negative factors, and besides, they are almost omnivorous in terms of organics. Other creatures are usually not found in chanterelles. It is not necessary to remove chanterelles from the wireworm in any special way - when picking mushrooms, they usually scatter on their own.
What else is useful in chanterelles?
So, insects are not interested in these fungi due to D-mannose. It is not dangerous to the human body, and successfully expels various parasites. But this component does not exhaust the useful composition of the chanterelle. No wonder they are considered healing mushrooms, they contain a lot of other useful, and even medicinal substances.
So, ergosterol in their composition is able to restore the liver. Probably, many people have heard that mushrooms are heavy food, and that the liver can suffer from such dishes. To some extent this is true, however, chanterelles, especially those gathered in a clean place, have the opposite, extremely beneficial effect. In addition, they have a lot of vitamin C, B, A, PP. For this reason, they can restore immunity, help in the fight for good vision, and even improve blood circulation.And this is far from all the beneficial properties of this unique mushroom.
Thus, worms do not start in chanterelles due to the substance contained in these mushrooms, which immediately destroys them. These fruiting bodies themselves are completely harmless to humans, and even very useful. However, insects have a different specificity of metabolism, because the D-mannose contained in chanterelles is deadly for them.
