An expedition discovers an infected giant tarantula, and the find is so rare that it has left scientists with a thousand questions A real-life thriller in the Amazon: researchers discover a giant tarantula claimed by a rare parasite. Is this nature's "Last of Us"?

#CW | #TW: #spiders, #tarantula

#TheAmazon

#ScienceFTW

#fungus

#CordycepsCaloceroides

#ZombieFungus

An expedition discovers an infected giant tarantula, and the find is so rare that it has left #scientists with a thousand questions share.google/ap7I5Qwp5P5y...

Alas poor spider, your carcass is doomed to hang forever from your silken thread.

Horror in the meter cupboard.
May I introduce Gibellula attenboroughii ?
Quote from Wiki: Gibellula attenboroughii is currently known only from the island of Ireland.
My meter cupboard is not in Ireland. Perhaps it took a trip across the Iris Sea?
#ZombieFungus
#nature
#fungi

🕷️ Apologies in advance…
This fungus, Gibellula attenboroughii, turns spiders into zombies, taking over their nervous system and forcing them into the open before they die and spread spores. Found in 2021 in County Down. (National Trust)
#ZombieFungus #Mycology #Halloween

photo of a large and quite dead moth clinging to the bark of a tree; it's covered in bright white fungal growth that has an appearance almost like that of the frosting one might use to build a gingerbread house, which contrasts against the moths dull orangey cream color

another angle of the same moth, now viewed from the direction of the sun that lights it

one more angle of the same moth; if you look closely you can see the slightly fuzzy texture of the white fungus that consumes it as the large, empty looking eye of the moth stares back towards the camera

[CW: fucked up moth getting eaten by fungus]

celebrating a bit of a spooky #FungiFriday with this naturally occurring horror well within comprehension :3

#fungi #sporespondence #parasite #zombiefungus #moth #insects #NaturePhotography #photography #spooky

First 'The Last of Us', now real life?

There's a fungus that hijacks ant brains, forces them to climb, and then sprouts from their heads to spread spores.

It’s called Ophiocordyceps. And yes - it’s 100% real. 🧠🍄

#ZombieFungus #WeirdScience #TheLolgic

I went hunting for a zombie fungus worth more than its weight in gold — New Scientist An AI-powered robot named Emo watches people’s facial expressions and tries to match them, in an effort to make robots more relatable

… and now I’m going down a #Fungi rabbit-hole. 😳

The #fungus yartsa gunbu which grows by turning caterpillars into zombies, is prized in traditional medicine, but its harvest is having an increased ecological impact on its native Himalayan home.

#ZombieFungus
apple.news/A1WaG_EpCS1C...

From the gardening community on Reddit: What did I find in my flower bed? Explore this post and more from the gardening community

Awesome image of the cordyceps fungus on Reddit this morning. Creepy wakeup! #nature #zombiefungus

'Zombie' Fungus Caught Bursting From Host Bodies 99 Million Years Ago A dinosaur-era version of The Last of Us.

'Zombie' Fungus Caught Bursting From Host Bodies 99 Million Years Ago #Science #Biology #Microbiology #ZombieFungus #Paleontology #Evolution

Have you ever heard of the Zombie Fungus? Ophiocordyceps unilateralis turns ants into unwitting puppets, a true horror of the natural world. It's a fascinating example of mind control! What's your favourite fungus with an unexpected twist? #Fungi #ZombieFungus #Mycology

#zombiefungus #ophiocordyceps #mindcontrol #naturefacts #fungusamongus #weirdnature #antzombie #natureisawesome #fungifacts #bizarrebiology

Scientists Discover a Fungus Turning Spiders Into Zombies Like something out of a nightmare.

Scientists Discover a Fungus Turning Spiders Into Zombies #Science #Biology #Microbiology #ZombieFungus #SpiderBehavior #FungalInfection

Newfound fungus infects and controls spiders, turning them into "zombies" A new fungus, Gibellula attenboroughii, was discovered on spiders in Irish caves. It changes their behavior, similar to zombie-ant fungi.

Newfound fungus infects and controls spiders, turning them into “zombies”: A new fungus, Gibellula attenboroughii, was discovered on spiders in Irish caves. It changes their behavior, similar to zombie-ant fungi

#ZombieFungus #SpiderParasite #Mycology #NatureIsWild #ScientificDiscovery #EarthDotCom

Not Science Fiction: Scientists Discover Mysterious “Zombie” Fungus Infecting Spiders in Ireland’s Caves Scientists identified a new fungus, Gibellula attenboroughii, infecting cave spiders in Ireland. The fungus manipulates spider behavior, resembling “zombie-ant fungi.” Dr. Harry Evans, Emeritus Fellow...

Not Science Fiction: Scientists Discover Mysterious “Zombie” Fungus Infecting Spiders in Ireland’s Caves #Science #Biology #Microbiology #ZombieFungus #SpiderInfection #IrelandCaves

New 'zombie fungus' infects and controls cave spiders A new zombie pathogen has been discovered in Ireland. This insidious fungus infects cave spiders and alters their behavior to help spread its spores to new victims.

A newly discovered "zombie fungus" has been found to infect and control cave spiders, revealing fascinating insights into parasitic relationships in nature. Explore this intriguing development. https://bit.ly/42LFJFg
#ZombieFungus #CaveSpiders #N…

The well-manicured fingers of our guide Anna hold a leaf in the Amazon forest still so we can photograph the zombie fungus growing out of a fly it had infected.

This zombie fungus that attacked this fly is definitely more on the naughty side of the fungi spectrum. Unfortunately, it's a tad blurry. Night time in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
#photography #fungifriends #AmazonRainforest #zombiefungus

Consequences of “zombie-making” and generalist fungal pathogens on carpenter ant microbiota The bacterial microbiome of the ant Camponotus floridanus has been well characterized across body regions and maturation levels. However, potential ef…

New paper alert! #microbiome, #ants, #zombiefungus, #ColbyBiology, #WildSymbiosesLab

"Cordyceps: The real-life zombie fungus! 🍄🧟‍♀️ Parasitic fungi that infect insects, taking control of their behavior before killing them and sprouting from their bodies. Nature's eerie, fascinating survival strategy! 👀"

#ZombieFungus #NatureIsStrange #Cordyceps