Kinshi (Made With Lions Mane Mushroom)

Kinshi is premium fungus-inoculated wood — hardwood that's been colonised by mushroom mycelium and then dried, creating a nutrient-dense material that's properly the gold standard for rearing wood-eating beetle larvae. This kinshi is made using lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus), whose white-rot mycelium breaks down the tough lignin and cellulose in the wood, pre-digesting it into a form that larvae and other wood-eaters can absorb far more easily than plain decaying wood.

What Makes Kinshi Special?

The key is the fungal colonisation. When a white-rot mushroom like lion's mane grows through hardwood, it begins breaking down the structural compounds (lignin and cellulose) that make wood difficult to digest. By the time the wood is dried and ready to use, much of that hard work has already been done — leaving a soft, nutritious, easily digestible material that fuels rapid, healthy growth in larvae. It's the same principle behind flake soil, but delivered as fungal-colonised wood rather than fermented substrate.

• Pre-digested by fungi — lignin and cellulose already broken down for easy digestion
• Made with lion's mane — a quality white-rot species prized for rearing
• Nutrient-dense — supports strong, fast larval development
• Convenient — supplied dried and ready to prepare

Primary Use: Beetle Larvae

Kinshi is properly the go-to food for rearing wood-eating beetle larvae to their full size. It's especially valued for stag beetles, flower beetles, and other species whose grubs feed on decaying hardwood in the wild. Larvae can be reared directly in kinshi, burrowing through it and feeding as they grow — many keepers use it as the core rearing medium for producing large, healthy adults. Browse our other inverts collection for beetle larvae and other species.

Also Great For Wood-Eating Isopods and Millipedes

Beyond beetles, kinshi is an excellent supplementary food for any invertebrate that relies on decaying wood in its diet:

• Wood-eating isopods — many isopod species naturally consume rotting wood, and the pre-digested fungal wood is readily grazed
• Millipedes — a nutritious addition to millipede substrate, which is largely wood-based
• Bioactive setups — adds dietary variety and supports the decomposer ecology of a planted enclosure

How to Use

For beetle larvae: Rehydrate the kinshi until lightly moist (it should hold together when squeezed but not drip), pack it into a suitable container, and introduce your larvae. They'll burrow through and feed as they develop. Top up or refresh as it's consumed.

For isopods and millipedes: Break the kinshi into smaller pieces and mix into the substrate or place on the surface. Your inverts will graze on it gradually. It pairs well with flake soil, leaf litter, and decaying wood as part of a varied, wood-rich diet.

What You Get

Premium lion's mane kinshi in your choice of 100g or 200g, supplied dried and ready to prepare. Browse our full accessories collection for flake soil, leaf litter, and the other substrate components of a complete invert setup.