Chances are, you’re here because you’re already growing mushrooms and have spotted some fluffy growth on your substrate that doesn’t look quite like the rest of the mycelium. Could this be the dreaded cobweb mold?
Wait!! Before you freak out, thinking you need to scrap your grow or drown it with hydrogen peroxide because it’s contaminated, take a few deep breaths. Now whisper to yourself, “This is probably just mycelium.” Feeling better already?
We get sent pictures all the time by our students who think they may have cobweb mold on mycelium. The vast majority of the time, it’s just normal mycelial growth that new growers have not yet learned to recognize. Unlike the common and easy-to-identify contaminant Trichoderma, a genus of green mold, cobweb mold is MUCH more rare.
Let’s break it down so you feel confident in identifying cobweb mold vs. mycelium.
Even though it’s in every mushroom contamination guide, cobweb mold is a RARE contaminant in mushroom cultivation. It’s actually not one species of mold, but closely related mold species from the genus Dactylium or Hypomyces, that can cause pinning mushrooms to abort their growth and soft rot in more mature mushrooms. The most common places to find cobweb mold are on the casing layer of your substrate and in mushroom monotubs, especially in later flushes.
Another defining characteristic of cobweb mold is that it grows extremely fast. If you’re thinking to yourself, “Hmm, could that be cobweb mold?” and 24-48 hours later the growth in question has overtaken your monotub, chances are good you do in fact have cobweb mold!
You might be wondering, is cobweb mold dangerous? Cobweb mold does not create toxins that affect humans, but it’s best not to consume contaminated mushrooms. Be careful when handling cobweb mold (e.g. wear a mask); some people have allergic reactions to mold spores or may develop respiratory issues due to breathing in spores.
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Especially if you’re just starting to grow mushrooms, you may not know that there are different types of mycelial growth. Healthy mycelium can look web-like, rope-like, and fluffy under certain conditions. So how do you tell cobweb mold and mycelium apart?
Unlike mycelium, which is bright white, cobweb mold is usually a light gray color, especially as it ages, with a wispy texture. It’s made up of very fine strands and smells of mildew. Cobweb mold protrudes at least 0.5-1” (1.3-3 cm) above the surface of the mycelium in a cloud-like structure. Despite the name, cobweb mold looks like cotton balls, NOT a spiderweb!
See below a few photo examples of cobweb mold contaminated mycelium:
The photos below are of normal mycelium, NOT cobweb mold:
Read more: Tomentose vs. rhizomorphic mycelium
In the rare case that you actually do have cobweb mold, you may be able to salvage your grow, especially if caught early before it sporulates. Spray the infected areas with a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide (H202), as this will kill mold and its spores but won’t damage the mycelium. The mold will appear to melt once it comes in contact with the H202 spray.
After spraying the moldy area, you can spray and soak a paper towel with 3% H202 and cover the contaminated spot. Leave overnight. This should prevent you from having to spray again.
Though H202 spray is not known to harm mycelium, it is a weakly acidic solution, which means that if you’re spraying your substrate over and over with it, it will turn those areas more acidic. Some other contaminants in mushroom cultivation, such as Trichoderma, prefer acidic environments—so even if you’re killing the cobweb mold, you could be creating the perfect setting for another contaminant to thrive.
That’s why prevention is best. To prevent cobweb mold, keep in mind that it prefers high humidity and stagnant air. Make sure to properly hydrate your substrate (you don’t want it too wet!), keep humidity in a lower range (around 80%), and provide plenty of air circulation.
If you wanna get fancy with an automated monotub where you can better control humidity and fresh air exchange (FAE), you can’t go wrong with the North Spore automated monotub kit. Get 10% off storewide at North Spore with code “FUNGIACADEMY”!
To learn more about mushroom contamination and how to prevent it, check out our YouTube video on "How to Spot Contamination in your Agar, Grains and Liquid Culture"
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