Zombie bug, parasites that control insects

Some parasites in nature can control the bodies of insects, tiring into “zombies.” These strange creatures include certain fungi, worms, and wasp. Scientists still don’t fully understand how they do it, but the effect is shocking.

One of the most famous examples is the Ophiocordyceps fungus, its small spores stick to an ant’s body and slowly grow inside it. When the fungus reaches the ant’s brain, it changes the insect’s behaviour.

The ant leaves it normal path, climbs a tree, and bites into a leaf. Then it dies. A stall grows out of its head, releasing new spores to infect others.

Other parasites use equally strange tricks. The worn Leucochloriduum paradoxum infects snails. It makes their arm swell and moves like caterpillars. This attracts birds, which eat the snail and allow the worm to continue its life cycle inside them.

Wasps also have their own chilling method, the jewel wasp stings a cockroach twice, one to paralyse its front legs, and then in the brain to control it. The roach becomes a living home for the wasp’s larvae, which feed on it until it dies.

Expert say parasites have been using these strategies for millions of years. Fossils show early signs of infection from 500 million years ago. Today, about 40 percent of all animal species are parasites.

Despite the frightening idea, scientist say these parasites cannot control humans like in such movies or Television shoe such as The Last of Us. 

Human warm body temperature makes it hard for such fungi to survive. Still, researchers find the natural “zombie” world fascinating, proof of how powerful and creative evolution can be.