People have been left horrified after finding ‘zombie’ spiders that have been infected by never-before-seen fungus and they are taking over homes across the US.
The fungus in question has never been spotted in the country and now its impacting spiders.
The so-called ‘zombie’ spiders are invading homes, leaving occupants seriously creeped out.
Advert
The newly discovered fungus known as Gibellula attenboroughii first made the headlines earlier this year after it began to infect ‘cave-dwelling, orb-weaving spiders’.
Once infected, the spiders begin to experience behavioural changes that are similar to the way that ant fungus can infect its host.
After being infected, the spider will crawl out from the cave and into an open area, because this is where air currents can better spread its spores.
After this, a neurotoxin within the fungus will kill the spider while its body will be preserved by an antimicrobial substance.
This enables the fungus to continue to grow and absorb all of the spider’s nutrients.
Center for Agriculture and Bioscience International researcher Harry Evans, who has worked on a study looking into the infected ‘zombie’ spiders, has detailed further how the process works.
Speaking to Live Science, he said: “There’s a lot more fungi to find. The fungal kingdom could be up to 10, 20 million species, making it the biggest kingdom by far, but only one percent have been described.”
Evans added: “Their [fungi] role in spider-population dynamics warrants further study, as does the metabolites they produce which enable them to exploit such a highly specific ecological niche.”
Scientists are keen to stress, however, that they pose no threats to humans, but that hasn’t stopped the fungi from invading homes across America.
“Infecting humans would require many, many millions of years of genetic modifications,” assured João Araújo, who is a mycologist at the Natural History Museum of Denmark.
So, what does the ‘zombie’ spider actually look like in reality?
Well, photographer Ben Mitchell has been speaking to the WSJ, and claimed his first encounter with the strange species happened in Scotland in July 2024.
Speaking of what exactly he saw, Mitchell said: “I saw this amazing candyfloss thing stuck to the underside of a leaf. It had a membrane of threads around it holding it in place, and all I could see of the spider was its toes sticking out.”
While the appearance may look suspicious, the fungus may have some potential medical benefits, according to lead researcher Evans.
The substances the fungus produces could be a ‘medical treasure chest’, which may lead to applications like antibiotics and other medical advancements.