A parasitic fungus takes over the brains of flies and controls them for its own sinister ends. Here’s the science behind the ...

I n 2023, researchers uncovered new insights into the eerie world of fungi that transform insects into "zombies." Carolyn ...

A "zombie" ash tree affected by the invasive emerald ash borer but could survive with proper treatment, left of two ash trees that are irreparably damaged by the insect at Szymanek Park in Warminster, ...

In a surprisingly large number of cases, insects are not acting of their own free will in a way that benefits themselves or even their species. Instead, they have become “zombies,” controlled by ...

In my research, I’ve collected and handled hundreds of living and dead zombie cicadas, as well as countless fungus-infected insects, spiders and millipedes. I’ve dissected hundreds of ...

Zombies strike fear into our hearts – and if they're persistent, eventually they get inside our heads. Animals taken over by zombies no longer control their own bodies or behaviors. Instead, they ...

A fly is going about its day, buzzing here, buzzing there — but then, it starts behaving weirdly. Its movements become sluggish, its abdomen swells. Its body sprouts white fuzz. Around sunset, there’s ...

In my research, I’ve collected and handled hundreds of living and dead zombie cicadas, as well as countless fungus-infected insects, spiders, and millipedes. I’ve dissected hundreds of specimens and ...

Insect body snatchers One of the most famous examples is the zombie ant fungus, Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, which is part of a larger group known as Cordyceps fungi. This fungus inspired the ...

A stalk erupts from the dead insect’s head and produces spores, which fall onto healthy ants below, starting the cycle again. The zombie cicada fungus, Massospora cicadina, has also received a ...