The Ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungus has one goal; self-propagation and dispersal.
Researchers think the fungus, found in tropical forests, infects a foraging ant through spores that attach and penetrate the exoskeleton and slowly takes over its behaviour.
As the infection advances, the ant is compelled to leave its nest, (although they are sometimes more interestingly removed from the nest by other ants) for a more humid microclimate that’s favourable to the fungus’s growth. The ant is compelled to descend to a vantage point about 10 inches off the ground, sink its jaws into a leaf vein on the north side of a plant, and wait for death.
Meanwhile, the fungus feeds on its victim’s innards until it’s ready for the final stage. Several days after the ant has died, the fungus starts growing out of the bugs head where it ejects its spores, to try and infect other hosts.
It’s not 100% clear how it works, but we do know the zombie ant fungus surrounds and invades muscle fibers throughout the ant’s body. The study showed O. unilateralis s.l. cells present in a host ant’s head, thorax, abdomen and legs. What’s more, a large proportion of these fungal cells appeared to be connected to each other. They seemed to form a 3-D network, which, the researchers believe, might collectively control the ant’s behaviour.
The video below shows the process over a few weeks.
