Yartsa Goenbub is an exceptional and incredible herb that grows in the pastures above 3,300 meters up to 4000 meters in the Himalayan regions of Bhutan. Yarsagumba literally means “summer plant and winter insect”.

Yarsa gumba is an exceptional combination of a yellow caterpillar and a mushroom (fungus). Just before the rainy season, spores of cordyceps fungus infect these Himalayan caterpillars that live on moist grass and hollow soil. After the fungus buries itself in the caterpillar’s body, it works its way out through the insect’s head. The parasite gets the energy from the caterpillar. The fungus parasite gets so much into the body of the caterpillars’ that it drains all the energy from the insect and ultimately it dies. As temperature increases and the snow melts -yarsa gumba emerges and is collected at this time.