Zombie Ants

[Peter@BattleScape]

I know that this is not a new discovery, so it is possible that some of this august company may have already come across these details.....but for those that haven't here is a GREAT new idea for Pulp gaming. My girls and I are already working something out around this.

In the Brazilian rain forest, researchers identified four new species of brain-controlling fungal parasites. These fungi infect carpenter ants and turn them into zombies, directing them to leave their colonies and die in places where the fungi can grow and spread.  The fungus takes control of the ant using chemicals that have not yet been identified. It directs the ant to leave its colony and clamp down a leaf before the fungus kills it. Scientists following seemingly drunk zombie ants, infected with a fungus in the species of Ophiocordyceps, found the fungi fill the ant's head with fungal cells and change the ant's muscles so the ant can grab a leaf in a death grip just when and where the fungus wants it. 




Here one of the newly described species grows from a dead ant whose body is silhouetted against the leaf it bit before dying.


In a scene worthy of a horror movie, one zombie ant bites the neck of another, already dead, zombie ant.


After the fungus kills the ant, profuse fungal growth erupts from the dead ant's skin, or cuticle, as shown here.




The mature, fruiting body of a zombie fungus is growing through this zombie ant's neck. The poor ant also has damage from a chewing insect; and a spider is making a home beneath its corpse.

Pete

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

Scary stuff! 

[Peter@BattleScape]

Yeah but what FUN!!!......in a game that is.

Pete

[pistolpete]

so is this how the zombie-pocylpse starts? i have to check my supplies.

[Michi]

I heared of people eating insects. I will never try.

[goon3423]

If anyone didn't know the video game "The Last of Us" is based around an idea of this type of fungus affecting humans...though with obviously more sci-si/horror results.

[d phipps]

Oh yes, I remember reading an article about this awhile back. I thought it would be a great backstory for a Pulp Alley campaign...

If anyone didn't know the video game "The Last of Us" is based around an idea of this type of fungus affecting humans...though with obviously more sci-si/horror results.

... and there ya go. 

There's also something very Lovecraftian about this. ...stay away from the fungus!!! 

[Valerik]

now make them Zombee FIRE Ants & we'll talk!!!!

Where once I had an abundance of lizards, chameleons, skinks, & the ever so dinosaur-ish fence swifts, since the fire ants arrived  they are now quite scarce.  Coupla summers ago I found a young copperhead who hadn't gotten outa the way fast enough, & fell, ironically, to their venom, predator as prey.

I found what seems to be an acceptable anteater in a dollar store toob.
Once painted I plan to make her an Extreme Peril in the jungle outside Puerto Miseria.  Not the actual stripey beast herself, but her lunch, themselves scurrying all around looking for their own eats, land piranha, stripping flesh from bone, devouring anyone & anything unable to get away fast enough!!!

Really the anteater is just a cop out.  A simple dodge to avoid having to attempt to paint 28 mm fire ants...  Just colour me lazy.

Valerik