Rampant Zombification - Phorid flies injecting their eggs into Dorylus worker antsThese tiny female phorid flies have developed a bizarre reproductive strategy: They hover over ants, then inject their eggs into the ants with a needle-like appendage.As phorids fly hovers above ants looking for victims, the ants respond by hiding, piling on top of one another, retreating into the nest, and posturing in various odd ways as seen in the image.This fly harassment disrupts the economy of provisioning the nest with food and protecting home and territory. Native ant species can then take advantage of this distraction and reclaim lost territory. This more indirect and subtle effect has been identified as the bio-control mechanism by which phorids might reduce the impact of non-native ant :
web.biosci.utexas.edu/fireant/FAQ Answers.htmlThe egg grows and the resulting larva generally migrates to the ant's head. The larva lives there for weeks--slurping up the brain and turning the ant into a "zombie," in some cases compelling the ant to march 55 yards (50 meters) away from its colony to avoid attack by other fire ants.Finally, the baby fly decapitates its host and hatches, exiting through the ant's head :
news.nationalgeographic.co.in/news/2009/05/photogalleries...
