muscardine
/ˈmʌskədɪn/ /ˈmʌskədiːn/noun
Any of various fungal diseases affecting silkworms and other insects (more fully muscardine disease). Also: any of the fungi, especially of the genera Beauveria and Metarhizium, causing these diseases (more fully muscardine fungus).
Origin
Mid 19th century; earliest use found in John Lindley (1799–1865), botanist and horticulturist. From French muscardine from muscardin silkworm affected by this disease, specifically use of †muscardin muscadine, so called because the affected silkworms had a chalky appearance similar to that of a musk lozenge.