Yarsagumba is a unique caterpillar-fungus fusion that occurs when parasitic mushroom spores infect and mummify a ghost moth larva living in the soil.
Trade in yarsagumba - dubbed the "Himalayan Viagra" for its supposed libido-boosting powers - has boomed since the end of a ban opened up the Chinese market where it is highly prized. yarsagumba known in the West as a medicinal mushroom, and its use has a long history in Traditional Chinese medicine as well as Traditional Tibetan medicine. The hand-collected fungus-caterpillar combination is valued by herbalists and as a status symbol; it is used as an aphrodisiac and treatment for ailments such as fatigue and cancer, although such use is mainly based on traditional Chinese medicine and anecdote.
