Incredibly, 80% of all insects live in jungles. Fewer more successful than the ants, there can be 8 million individuals in a single hectare. But jungle ants don't have it all their own way. These bullet ants are showing some worrying symptoms. Spores from a parasitic fungus called cordyceps have infiltrated their bodies and their minds. Its infected brain directs this ant upwards. Then, utterly disorientated, it grips a stem with its mandibles. Those afflicted, that are discovered by the workers are quickly taken away and dumped far away from the colony. It seems extreme, but this is the reason why. Like something out of science fiction, the fruiting body of the cordyceps erupts from the ant's head. It can take three weeks to grow and when finished, the deadly spores will burst from its tip. Then, any ant in the vicinity will be in serious risk of death.


世界上80%的昆虫生活在丛林中，很少有昆虫比蚂蚁更成功。每一百平方米的林地里就有八百万只蚂蚁，但是丛林中的蚂蚁并不是处处所向无敌。这些弹头蚁表现出某种可怕的症状。一种孢子渗透到了它们的身体和脑中，被感染的大脑指挥这只蚂蚁向上爬，然后它完全迷失了方向。得了这种病的蚂蚁一旦被工蚁发现就会立刻被拖到离它们的群体很远的地方，然后被抛弃在那里。但这是有正当理由的。但事实确实如此，虫草菌的子实体可以从死去的蚂蚁头中长出来。它生长三周的时间。当完成生长后可怕的孢子从子实体的顶端炸开，结果周围的蚂蚁都将面临严重的死亡威胁。