malformalady: This dead ant infected with the fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis clamped on to a lea
malformalady: This dead ant infected with the fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis clamped on to a leaf before dying. The stalk growing out of its neck is the fungus. The red ball will soon release spores that will infect other ants. Ophiocordyceps unilateralis is a fungal pathogen specific to ants. This so-called zombie or brain-manipulating fungus alters the behaviour of the ant host, causing death. They attack their colonies and so when this ant has the fungus the other ants take it really far away from the other ants so he can just die and let the little thing pop. It’s so cool -- source link