Zombie ants, infected by the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungus, are predominantly found in tropical rainforests. These fungi thrive in warm, humid environments, which are ideal for their growth and …

zombie-ant fungus, (Ophiocordyceps unilateralis), species of parasitic fungus that infects ants and dramatically alters their behavior before killing them. The fungus is largely pantropical and primarily …

Jul 2, 2025 · In this series, a fungus infects humans and takes control of their minds, mutating them into putrid monsters. That fictional fungus was inspired by Ophiocordyceps, a genus of parasitic fungi that …

May 23, 2024 · Ophiocordyceps unilateralis is a parasitic fungus that infects carpenter ants. Parasitic fungi are not uncommon in the insect world, but what makes O. unilateralis uniquely creepy, and why …

Jul 31, 2025 · Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, commonly known as the “zombie-ant fungus,” is a specialized parasitic fungus first discovered in 1859 by British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace.

Apr 18, 2019 · To do so, the parasitic fungus hijacks ants ’ bodies, essentially turning them into zombies. Researchers think the fungus, found in tropical forests, begins its life cycle by infecting a...

Apr 16, 2025 · The 2013 video game “The Last of Us” features a fictional pandemic caused by a mutated Cordyceps fungus that transforms humans into zombie-like creatures, drawing direct …

Dec 9, 2025 · Zombie ants are infected by the parasitic fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, which alters their behavior before ultimately killing them. Initially discovered by Alfred Russel Wallace in 1859, …

Check in a week later, and you'll find the dead ant's body is covered in a brown mat of hair, a beige stalk having erupted from a place near its head. This stalk emits millions of tiny spores, which float away …

Aug 22, 2014 · A dead ant manipulated by a species of so-called "zombie ant fungus" clings to a twig in a South Carolina forest. Newly published Penn State research represents the first extensive study of …