Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, seen above, is known for slowly zombifying forest ants. Fungal spores infect the ant through their exoskeleton and then develop into a yeast-like stage that infests the ant brain. On the outside, the ant is somehow guided to leave its colony and climb up a high-reaching piece of greenery, where it will bite down hard and simply stay there as the fungus eats them to death. In its final stage, a stalk with fruiting buds will form from the head of the dead ant and rupture, releasing spores into the wind to start the cycle all over again.
