Mind-altering parasite takes control of host spiders before killing them

Deep in the caves of Ireland, scientists have discovered a mind-altering parasite that takes control of spiders, forcing them to abandon their webs before ultimately meeting a gruesome end.

This newly identified species, named Gibellula attenboroughii after the legendary natural historian Sir David Attenborough, is part of a rare group of fungi that manipulate their hosts' behavior in eerily precise ways.

The mind-altering parasitic fungus was first spotted in 2021 during the filming of the BBC’s Winterwatch. Researchers at the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI), the Natural History Museum of Denmark, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew later confirmed the discovery. They published a study on the fungus in the journal Fungal Systematics and Evolution.

This study revealed that G. attenboroughii infects orb-weaving cave spiders and European cave spiders, taking over their bodies and altering their natural instincts. The infected spiders, which are normally reclusive and hide deep within caves, then leave their webs and move to exposed locations.

This behavior closely mirrors the infamous zombie ant phenomenon seen in tropical rainforests, where ants become exposed to another fungal parasite that takes over their bodies and spreads to other ants. Once the spider reaches an ideal spot, the fungus kills its host and releases spores, spreading the infection to new victims.

While the exact mechanism remains a mystery, scientists suspect G. attenboroughii produces mind-altering compounds that disrupt the spider’s nervous system, making it more susceptible to the parasite’s control. Similar fungi, such as Ophiocordyceps, release similar chemicals that manipulate their host’s behavior before consuming them from the inside out.

Beyond its creepy, horror-movie implications, G. attenboroughii appears to play a crucial role in regulating spider populations. Understanding how it works could shed light on the delicate balance of ecosystems, where parasites often serve as unseen but powerful forces of nature. Even the recent cicada broods seen last year were infected with a zombie-like parasite.

Unfortunately, there could be plenty of other mind-altering fungal parasites like this hiding in plain sight. The fortunate thing is, we’ve yet to find one that affects humans in any way, so we don’t quite have to worry about The Last of Us becoming a reality just yet.

The post Mind-altering parasite takes control of host spiders before killing them appeared first on BGR.

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Mind-altering parasite takes control of host spiders before killing them originally appeared on BGR.com on Thu, 6 Feb 2025 at 17:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.