A parasitic fungus called Ophiocordyceps unilateralis ... infects a plain old carpenter ant and takes over its brain, leading the ant to bite into the vein that runs down the center of a leaf on the underside. The ant dies shortly thereafter, but the fungus gains the nutrients it needs to grow this crazy stalk out of the ant's body and release spores to create the next generation of ant-controlling fungi.
For more, see Parasite-Infested Zombie Ants Walked the Earth 48 Million Years Ago by Andrew Moseman, August 18, 2010, at Discover Magazine blogs.
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