Scientists have discovered a new fungus, Gibellula attenboroughii, that manipulates spiders’ behavior, turning them into “zombies.” The fungus was found in Northern Ireland and is believed to target the shaded orbweaver spider. Infected spiders appear to leave their webs and migrate to die after exposure to the fungus. Similar behavior has been observed in ants infected by Ophiocordyceps fungi. The discovery suggests that Gibellula attenboroughii plays a significant role in spider-population dynamics, warranting further study of its metabolites. The fungus is named after Sir David Attenborough and was initially discovered during filming of the BBC series Winterwatch in 2021.
Source: https://www.popsci.com/environment/zombie-spider-fungus