By Francesco Tomasinelli

Some fungi can attack animals, killing them in a in matter of days. In the tropics Cordyceps fungus spores germinate as soon as they touch the correct insect species. They quickly colonize the insect body and kill it without any visible sign on the external. Then, like something out of science fiction, the fruiting body of the Cordyceps erupt form the insect, giving birth to weird structure on the victim. Now the fungus can release spores once more, ready to parasitize new insects.
Most Cordyceps fungi are species-specific and attack only some insect species. Some are even able to alter behaviour of the victim, make the dying insect go higher on branches before killing it, to enhance spores dispersion.