Deep in an abandoned gunpowder storeroom in Northern Ireland, something straight out of a horror movie was lurking.
A documentary crew filming Winterwatch discovered a dead spider with a strange fungal growth.
The spider’s body was almost unrecognizable, covered in coral-like protrusions.
Scientists, led by mycologist Harry Evans, identified the fungus as an entirely new species, Gibellula Attenborough, named after Sir David Attenborough.
How The Fungus Kill Spider?
This isn’t just any fungus—it takes over its spider host’s body, compelling it to abandon the safety of its web.
The spider crawls into the open, where it dies in an unnatural pose, perfectly positioned for the fungus to release its spores into the air.
Does this sound familiar? That’s because it mirrors the infamous “zombie-ant” fungus, Ophiocordyceps, which manipulates ants in the Brazilian rainforest using dopamine.
The discovery raises more questions: Could other spiders be under its eerie influence?
Evidence suggests the fungus might already be at work in Wales, but unless more research is done on the subject, it will remain hidden from scientists.
