Cordyceps — The Fungus That Controls Ants
A fungus hijacks an ant's brain, makes it climb, then bursts from its head.
Reviewed by the CurioVault curator · 8 October 2026 · Editorial standards

Ophiocordyceps unilateralis infects carpenter ants in tropical forests. It chemically hijacks the ant, forcing it to leave the colony, climb vegetation and bite onto a leaf vein at ideal humidity. The ant dies, and a stalk grows from its head releasing spores onto ants below. It's the real zombie fungus that inspired The Last of Us, and it has farmed ants for 48 million years.
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