'Puppeteer' fungus eats flies from the inside before spewing spores from their abdomen

It's no wonder it's called'destroyer of insects.' Scientists have identified a fungus that infects fruit flies and kills them from the inside out – but, not before causing them to ascend to a high point and spread their wings like a marionette on a string, to spew spores from their abdomen. The behaviour-manipulating fungus invades the fruit fly's nervous system and forces it to embark on the fatal climb, known as summit disease, before devouring the brain and muscles. According to researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, the fungus responsible for the horrifying infection is called Entomophthora muscae – with the genus translating to'destroyer of insects.' Then-doctoral student Carolyn Elya began examining the fungus' effect after noticing dead fruit flies around a rotting watermelon on her apartment's balcony. After she stopped feeding them the antifungal food used in the labs, fruit flies she brought to her home to observe became infected as well.