A zombie in local woods?

 Hello my loyal blog-buggers!

(Actually, I am going to see Jake Bugg at an album launch soon. But I won't mention it, because it's irrelevant!)

Now I'm sure you've all had ants in your pants in anticipation of my posting more creepy-crawlies? Well I am here to tell you that I have a creepy-crawly to beat all creepy-crawlies: It's the mother of all creepy-crawlies in fact!

Firstly though, I have a picture-related question for you:

And the question is; 'What's the connection that links these four images?'

No clue? 

Maybe this next image will help, although I doubt it and I need to apologise right here for including it so early in this update. I know some of you are squeamish: easily nauseated, sickened, shocked, or disgusted by unpleasant sights, thoughts, or situations...SORRY!

C'mon now, I purposely chose a cartoon spider, so as to not scare the pants off you. Anyhow, I'm hoping you're wearing your big-boy pants (or if you are of the female persuasion, maybe Bridget Jones stylee). 

Let's cease with the teasing and get into this. 

Three words...

Oh yes! Halloween aproacheth (oh yes it is a word; I just invented it) and this tale is just perfect for the season.

There, I've given you the answer to what links a couple of the images above. But what about David Attenborough, the BBC News and the spider?

If I begin with the BBC News, that should by definition explain the other two.

Here goes then...

Louise Cullen

BBC News NI Agriculture & Environment Correspondent

3 February 2025

It's the stuff of nightmares - or even the hit TV show and video game The Last of Us: a novel fungus that turns its hosts into "Zombies".

Thankfully, so far, it's only been found in spiders located in several cave systems across the island of Ireland.

Named after Sir David Attenborough, Gibellula attenboroughii was first discovered during the filming of BBC Winterwatch in 2021

And this was the image that accompanied the article:

Imagine my surprise then, when I was scouting around local woodland for invertebrates to photograph and record, when I spotted this...

Looking very similar to the 'Irish' fungi? Well I thought so and after quite a bit of research, it turns out to be a very closely related species.

This is an 'entomopathogenic' fungus, a specialized parasitic fungus belonging to the order Hypocreales. Fungi in genera such as Gibellula. Entomopathogenic by the way, besides having one too many letters to use on a scrabble board, just means capable of causing injury or death in insects

Not Gibellula attenboroughii, but possibly 'Gibellula aranearum' due to its highly similar appearance on dead spiders. In fact, I believe the host in this instance to be not a spider at all, but an unfortunate harvestman (Opiliones) and that does fit because this fungi typically infects arachnids like spiders and harvestmen.

I'm pleased you asked; here is some information that I cribbed from the internet...

How the Infection Works:

Host Control & Manipulation: The fungal spores land on the host (in this case, a harvestman, Opiliones), penetrate the cuticle, and spread through the internal tissues. As the fungus matures, it alters the host's behaviour (often referred to as "zombie" manipulation), driving it to anchor itself in a high, sheltered position—typically under a leaf in damp woodland. (Which is exactly where I discovered this one.)

Spore Production (Synnemata): After the host dies, the fungus consumes its insides and bursts through the body. The branching, finger-like projections extending outward are synnemata (compact bundles of erect spore-bearing stalks).

Spore Dispersal: Elevating the host beneath a leaf provides high humidity and protection from rain while allowing the wind to spread released spores to infect other nearby arachnids.

At least, the end of that gruesome story. I did find another harvestman that day, and this one hadn't been infected thankfully;

Also this little meadow froghopper that seemed to be sheltering from the few drops of rain that fell during my walk;

The frog hoppers get to around 5-7mm, which is quite a bit larger than these delphacid bugs that only get to about 3mm.

 Notable for being the only delphacid planthopper specialized to complete its life cycle exclusively on bracken fern.

I also found out recently that the shrubs in my local woodland that I always knew as Guelder-rose, or Viburnum, are actually European cranberry. They look like this...

Unfortunately, each year they get defoliated, firstly by viburnum beetle larvae...

Not my picture: just for reference

Then later in the year, by the adult beetles, like this one I found recently...

I think it's probably time to wind up this particular update, and so I'll leave you with something a bit cuter. A tiny flea beetle, seen in my garden on the American milkweed plant..