Examining puppeteer #fungus' targeted takeover of #zombie #flies.

#parasite #Entomophthora #hormones #signalling

https://phys.org/news/2023-05-puppeteer-fungus-takeover-zombie-flies.html

Life and death on the underside of a nettle leaf: foreground left an #aphid gives birth to a live nymph. Behind her is a #fly recently killed by an #entomopathogenic #fungus, probably #Entomophthora muscae. The posture of the fly is typical for one killed by this fungus: on the underside of the leaf, abdomen stuck out, wings forwards. This is all #BehaviouralModification by the fungus to enhance the spread of the sticky infectious spores that are being released from the abdomen.