A fascinating and somewhat disturbing discovery has been made about a pathogenic fungus called Entomophthora muscae. It has been found that this fungus has a clever and unique tactic to ensure its survival. After infecting female houseflies with its spores, the fungus takes control of their behavior and drives them to the highest point, where they eventually die. Once the infected females die, the fungus releases chemical signals that attract healthy male flies, who then engage in necrophilia with the dead females. This results in the male flies becoming infected with the fungus and spreading its spores to new victims. The study also found that male flies were more attracted to females who had been dead for a longer period of time, as the fungal spore count increases with time. This research sheds light on nature’s fascinating mechanisms and may even lead to the development of effective fly repellents using the fungus’s fragrances.
https://phys.org/news/2022-07-zombie-fungus-lures-healthy-male.html