Zombie Ants

Zombie ants are a thing.

Even if I described them to you in detail, you wouldn’t believe me. The whole thing just sounds implausible.

I’m going to describe them to you in detail anyway.

First off, no, they don’t really look like the above image. They aren’t bitten by other zombie ants to become zombies themselves, and they don’t crave the brains of ants (or humans).

But what happens might actually be even more terrifying.

An ant will typically come into contact with a particular type of fungal spores called Ophiocordyceps unilateralis. These spores attach to the ant’s exoskeleton and stay there with a special molecule that keeps them attached, and then they germinate: tubes start to grow out of the spores.

Enzymes seep through the tubes from the spores, ultimately dissolving the ant’s exoskeleton, and providing a pathway inside. These fungal hyphae (kind of like branches) then invade the ant’s body, ultimately finding organs and tissues inside.

While the fungus can now capture vital nutrients it needs—and depriving the ant of these nutrients—its actions keep the ant alive for as long as possible by avoiding any vital organs while those hyphae are reaching out.

Finally, it’s time for the mind-control aspect of this horrifying true tale. I hope you’re sitting down for this last bit, because it is truly terrifying… if you’re a leaf.

The fungus compels the ant to climb up somewhere up high, and to clamp onto a leaf, so that the fungus can grow and derive its nutrients from the leaf. A “fruiting body” will then emerge from the ant’s head, helping to facilitate future fungus growth.

All right, so it’s not like Night of the Living Dead. It’s not even Shaun of the Dead. These zombie ants are fascinating, but probably not all that scary.

Still, it’s yet another example of how amazing nature can be when it wants something. Compelling another creature to do something you want has long been considered the domain of humans, but we’re far from alone in this.

Life has an incredible way of continuing to spread all over the world. Extremophiles exist in places you don’t think they should, even at the bottom of the ocean.

Life

Even the life we see every day is full of surprises. From zombie ants to cube-shaped poop, there’s an awful lot about the natural world that’s here to delight and surprise us, and I’m here with you for all of it.