Happy Halloween!

The living dead may not be as far-fetched an idea as would have been previously assumed. At least not in the world of insects. Throughout time, across the planet, there have been countless examples in the insect kingdom of mindless bugs, stripped of life, shambling to the beat of some eerie drum. Cockroaches, for instance can reportedly survive long after their head has been severed. This is of course just the tip of the iceberg.

Phorid flies and Jewel wasps are both reputed for laying eggs inside an unsuspecting victim via sting. Once the young hatch they feast on the inside of the host, reducing them to a wandering zombie. This is truly amazing although not an isolated exmaple. There are even forms of fungus which enter an insects body through respiratory spiracles and begin to consume the non-vital soft tissues. Again, the victim is reduced to a mindless zombie shambling to area well suited to spread more spores. The fungus then causes the victim to anchor themselves, spreading throughout and eventually killing the insect by growing through it’s exoskeleton. At this point the flowering fungal body bursts, spewing more spores into the air. In this manner whole colonies can be wiped out.

Kind of creepy? The list goes on.
Zombies ARE among us…

Social insects such as ants and termites have been cultivating and consuming fungal crops for millions of years, much longer than humans have even existed.

Termites for example use chewed up pieces of wood and plant matter as organic fertilizer to grow a special wood-rot fungus from the genus Teritomyces that is even edible to humans. The termites build mound enclosures that act as greenhouses keeping the interiors moist and warm with a constant temperature of 29-32 degrees celcius. They even construct their own ventilation systems with air ducts and heating and cooling systems.

Ants never to be outdone by their mortal enemies have also cultivated crops for millions of years. Leafcutter ants have mastered the art of fungal cultivation.The ants actively cultivate their fungus, feeding it with freshly cut plant material and keeping it free from pests and molds. These ants even have bacteria growing on them capable of secreting an anti-microbial agent that they use to keep their farms healthy. They have also developed specialized soldiers and workers to tend to and protect their crops and farmers.

In the Underground, the ant colony of Coryn is built within a fungus-covered tree stump, the Termite Union has more than one dynasty which emphasizes heavily on the cultivation of fungus for many uses. Both of these societies realize the value of having abundant food stores. The cultivation of farms enables both to build and support large armies and ensures that every ant and termite in the underground has a full belly.

Napoleon once said “an army marches on it’s stomach”. I believe this is what he was talking about