Cordyceps is a genus of ascomycete fungi with an estimated 600 species worldwide. Several species of the genus Cordyceps are said to have been used as herbs for over 1500 years in China.
However, there are also some species of this genus that are killer parasites for insects and arthropods. So it is not surprising that Cordyceps is sometimes also referred to as the zombie fungus.
Here I will share two cases that I observed some time ago. Cordyceps, or the zombie fungus, has attacked a paper wasp and a common green bottle fly as hosts to grow and develop.
Usually the mycelium begins to attack the brain tissue of an insect, causing paralysis of the nerves and all of its host organs. Eventually, the fruiting bodies of the fungus begin to grow in mass clusters all over the poor insect's body.
| Latin name | Observation date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Cordyceps sp. | 09.06.2023/23.07.2023 | Alue Awe, Muara Dua, Lhokseumawe City, Aceh, Indonesia |
| Latitude | Longitude | Map |
|---|---|---|
| 5.126731 | 97.145590 | https://goo.gl/maps/taHtdY8ywwGFDBUY7 |
I can't imagine how terrible it would be if cordyceps attacked humans in the real world. But at least there haven't been cases that led to that. Hopefully, that will never happen.
Reference sources:
All of the images here are my own work, taken with a Xiaomi POCO NFC smartphone and an assembled external macro lens.