by Kim B.
Member since:
September 25, 2006

What's worse than stinkbugs? Zombie Ants

March 07, 2011 12:02 PM UTC (Updated: March 07, 2011 12:04 PM UTC)
views: 0 | 8 people recommend this | comments: 31

My daughter shared this article from the National Geographic with me this morning.

Quote from article~

A very sci-fi discovery from the Amazon~   A fungus that takes over an ant's brain and then kills the insect after guiding it to a new location where it can grow and spread its spores. Originally thought to be a single species, the fungus is actually four different ones, all of which can “mind control” the zombie ants. David Hughes, an entomologist at Penn State University, discovered the fungi after noticing a wide range of fungal growths emerging from ant victims. "This potentially means thousands of zombie fungi in tropical forests across the globe await discovery," said Hughes.

Here in this picture, a stalk of this fungus is growing out of a "zombie ant's" head in the Brazilian rain forest.

Who's to say, if this fungus will someday infect humans? LoL, I hope not.  If anything , someone will make a movie out of it, like,"Night of the Living dead Ants" or even better, Zombie Ants vs. Stinkbugs    :)

Comments: 31

Ryan Reid Mar 7, 2011, 12:09pm UTC
im amazed that this hasnt been the basis of a zombie movie yet...i mean its the only actually case of zombies we know of...lol

cool post!
Kim B. Mar 7, 2011, 1:19pm UTC
I betcha in the next year, there will be. Can't wait,lol.
RedBird. B. Mar 7, 2011, 12:18pm UTC
I'm really surprised that this hasn't been featured somewhere before. They sure are Nasty Looking Creatures! :)
Kim B. Mar 7, 2011, 1:19pm UTC
Today was the first i had heard about it.
Cindy B. Mar 7, 2011, 12:27pm UTC
Man! That is one freaky bug! I hope they stay over there. =)
Kim B. Mar 7, 2011, 1:21pm UTC
They won't. That is how we got stinkbugs. Stinkbugs came from South East Asia to Pennsylvania. Then every year, a few more states have them. Pretty soon, they'll be all over the country.
Angela M. Mar 7, 2011, 1:58pm UTC
I watched a special on this on natgo a long time ago. It is creepy thank goodness it doesnt happen to people LOL
Kim B. Mar 7, 2011, 2:02pm UTC
Are they sure about that? :) hope so.
Angela M. Mar 7, 2011, 2:02pm UTC
oh here watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8
Kim B. Mar 7, 2011, 3:37pm UTC
Oh my! thanks for sharing that link. it's cool how the ants carry off the infected ant away from the rest.
Bernard C. Mar 7, 2011, 2:21pm UTC
Making me itch and scratch just reading this - seeing that bug is like carrying its own internal satellite dishes as well - wonder what channels they get in anthills? Thanks for sharing :-)
Kim B. Mar 7, 2011, 3:37pm UTC
:) Animal Planet for one.
Sandra H. Mar 7, 2011, 3:17pm UTC
Now that is down right freaky! Hope they stay where they are.
Lori A Mar 7, 2011, 3:30pm UTC
very nasty hope they are not in florida - but than again I think every bug is in florida lol
DarkBeauty 73 (Melanie) Mar 7, 2011, 3:48pm UTC
yikes thanks for sharing
Pamela Marks Mar 7, 2011, 4:37pm UTC
loved your article and I am sure they are workin on a movie somewhere about them infecting humans someway.
Gul Dixon Mar 7, 2011, 4:50pm UTC
Away from me is the best way to deal with it!
Diane Huizenga Mar 7, 2011, 6:53pm UTC
Yikes
Elizabeth S. Mar 7, 2011, 7:14pm UTC
I'll look twice at any ant I see from now on.
Nana to Seven Cutiepies Mar 7, 2011, 7:14pm UTC
Oh my,

Thank you so much for sharing with Animal & Nature photos, videos and posts.
Larry H. Mar 7, 2011, 9:27pm UTC
yuck THanks for sharing
Melanie B. Mar 7, 2011, 11:40pm UTC
Wow~ That is pretty freaky! lol @ Zombie Ants vs. Stinkbugs < good one =)
Deborah Ormsby Mar 8, 2011, 7:07pm UTC
ew
Heather R. Mar 9, 2011, 2:00am UTC
Creepy, but not the first thing I've heard of that alters the mind of its host And yeah I agree with the movie comments. If not a movie, I bet someone writes it into a book.
DIANE D. Mar 10, 2011, 10:10am UTC
Yikes!
Jan S. Apr 21, 2011, 1:22am UTC
Oh, my word. This made my head itch. ATWS
Winona (the crazy rat lady) Apr 21, 2011, 3:12pm UTC
Okay, that gives creepy a brand new level of creep.

(leaving comments for ATWS)
Marysia M Apr 21, 2011, 5:49pm UTC
ewwwwwwwwwwwwww, yuck!
Linda T. Apr 29, 2011, 2:55am UTC
Creepy yet very interesting.
atws
Marsha C. Apr 30, 2011, 1:47am UTC
gross! creepy! and all that good stuff! lol
Nichole D. Dec 10, 2011, 10:42am UTC
ew!

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