Floral Mimicry Induced by Mummy-Berry Fungus Exploits Host's Pollinators as Vectors.

Leaves and shoots of blueberries(Vaccinium spp.) and huckleberries (Gaylussacia sp.) when infected by ascospores of Monilinia spp. become ultraviolet-reflective and fragrant and secrete sugars at their lesions. Insects that normally pollinate these hosts are attracted to the discolored leaves, ingest the sugars, and transmit conidia to their flowers, resulting in sclerotia (mummy-berry) formation.

Ambrosia fungi: extent of specificity to ambrosia beetles.

Experiments with developing ambrosia beetles and fungi indicate that beetles may feed on more than one species growing in their tunnels. The yeast-like ambrosia propagules in mycangia of beetles arise from conida and ascospores picked up by callow adults during their stay in tunnels.