Once it infects an ant, the fungus uses as-yet-unidentified chemicals to control the ant's behavior, Hughes told LiveScience. It directs the ant to leave its colony (a very un-ant-like thing to do) and bite down on the underside of a leaf — the ant's soon-to-be resting place. Once it is killed by the fungus, the ant remains anchored in place, thanks to its death grip on the leaf.
Ultimately, the fungus produces a long stalk that protrudes from the ant's head, shooting spores out in the hopes of infecting other ants. Two of the four newly discovered species also sprouted smaller stalks elsewhere, including from the victim's feet and lower leg joints – the equivalent of knees.
The spores of the four species also had distinct features and germination processes.
So we might have a chance of a Zombie Holocaust after all. Imagine if this "Zombie Fungus" used these as-yet-unidentified chemicals to control humans instead of ants. Then the humans go to a certain place and the fungus feeds on them.
There is a D&D monster that come to mind that this "Zombie Fungus" reminds me of. The Yellow Musk Creeper which is a plant that creates zombies that protect the plant from predators. It uses special spores that attack a human and replaces their brain with some sort of symbiotic plant. I wonder if the brains of these ants are attacked in a similar way.
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