Ophiocordyceps unilateralis leverages and reallocates scarce resources tied up in a living system by highjacking an ant and turning it into a zombie.
The parasitic fungus _Ophiocordyceps unilateralis _leverages the living body of an ant as a rich source of localized nutrients and hijacks the ant's nervous system to transport itself for optimal reproduction. There are four stages to make this happen: 1- Infection stage: The ant comes in contact with the fungi spores. 2- Parasitic stage: The fungus manipulates the ant's brain and nervous system. 3- Reproduction stage: The fungus drains the ant of nutrients by directly absorbing them. The fungus grows a fruiting body, a stalk that ruptures the ant's head and releases spores. 4- New host infection: The spores infect new ants and continue the fungus life cycle.
