Nature can be both frightening and astonishing. This can even be said about fungi. I remember a video I saw about Cordyeceps on social media. It can turn ants into "zombies." According to National Geographic (nationalgeographic.com), the fungus infects an ant and slowly gains control of its body. After a while, the ant's insides are slowly eaten. Once the host is dead a column of fungus is sprouted out of the body. Scientists believe that Ophiocordyceps doesn't want to infect every ant. Instead, the reason is for population control.
Very interesting. I had no idea that fungus was concerned with population control.
ReplyDeleteZombie ants? Sounds like a horror movie ;-p Nature can be majestic and cruel!
ReplyDeleteClose up pictures of bugs are fascinating yet scary, and so is this fungus.
ReplyDeleteWow, very interesting, Anthony! This is like the marine life that live in the deepest zone of the ocean where waters are rich in nutrients and cold but no plants grow because of the lack of light. The marine life and organisms end up eating other organism or food from those deep waters.
ReplyDeleteInteresting concept of population control. I'm glad I got to learn that zombies do exist, just not how I thought.
ReplyDeleteWow, I never new ants could go through this. When you said "sprout out" it made me feel weird. LOL
ReplyDeleteFungi terrify me, the balance of nature is amazing and every organism plays an important role.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting, I learned something new about fungus.
ReplyDeleteI think the movie "The Girl with all the Gifts" is inspired by this phenomenon.
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