The Zombie Ant: A Tiny Terror
Published May 11, 2011
Flickr user AJC1
The notorious zombie ant.
Much to the horror of ants living in the Brazilian rainforest, scientists have recently discovered there are four mind-controlling fungi that turn ants into zombies. The fungi manipulate their brains to control their behavior, and then kill them.
But once infected by fungi spores, the ant leaves the nest and finds a small shrub, then starts climbing. According to a recent report in “Wired Science” the fungi direct all ants to the same kind of leaf, about 25 centimeters above the ground and at a precise angle to the sun. It is still a mystery precisely how the fungi do this.
The “mind-controlled” ants anchor themselves to the leaf before dying by clamping their jaws on the edge or a vein on the leaf's underside. It is then that the fungi take over, transforming the ant carcass into a spore-producing factory, from which it feeds off for almost a year, additionally using it as a platform from which it launches its spores.
I find it fascinating and a bit chilling that while you are reading this story, a mini horror show is occurring in the rainforest in Brazil. In fact, I feel a bit sorry for these unsuspecting little creatures.
What are your thoughts? Share them in a comment.
Shortly after retiring as a social worker and psychotherapist, I discovered my "writer's voice"…
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Comments (8)
This is the most incredible thing in the animal kingdom. This whole idea of a fungi being able to manipulate another animal in such specific ways brings up the whole question of how does it gain this 'intellegence'? This is probably the biggest unexplained phenomenon in nature and deserves alot of study.
Hmm... fungi that control the ant population to force them to carry out it's will. Reminds me of politicians.
It won't be long before scientists start to research the fungi. Then they will make alterations to it. Then accidentally release it into the world. Like the African honey bees that turned into killer bees. Oops.
It will be interesting to see what happens with the fungi. Cows that try to climb trees? People? The future looks interesting.
this fungi sounds like a sci fi movie from the 50`s. but i`ve heard and beleived that yesterday`s sci fi is often today`s reality. viruses germs and funji are getting smarter.
Seriously, that's just creepy!!! Are ants the only things that the fungi infect?
Interesting! I hope that everyone had a great aNurses' Day and I hope that they have a great weekend! That goes for last year and all the other years that I've missed. I'm sorry that I didn't say anything about this last week (or forever), but it slipped my mind.
Ah. That explains it. ;(