A “The Last of Us”-type “zombie fungus” has been found that eats the host body from the inside out, leaving only the exoskeleton

A rare fungus that turns spiders into “zombies” has been discovered in a Scottish rainforest, attracting the attention of nature lovers and fans of the video game and television series The Last of Us. The fungus Gibellula, which belongs to the Cordycipitaceae family, has only been detected in Scotland around ten times in the last 70 years.

The discovery was made by amateur naturalist Ben Mitchell at the West Cowal Habitat Restoration Project in Argyll and Bute. Sharing his excitement about discovering the Gibellula mushroom, he explained: “It was great to be part of this project and I found so many species. But my favorite by far is definitely the Gibellula mushroom.”

This fungus infects spiders via fungal spores, eating them from the inside out while leaving their exoskeleton intact. Eventually, a fruiting body erupts from the spider, releasing spores to capture the next victim.

Mitchell further explained the behavioral change caused by the fungus, noting, “Gibellula appears to cause spiders to move to the underside of leaves before pinning them there.” Perhaps it's because when they bear fruit, the spores are present are protected from the rain and can more easily fall on other unsuspecting spiders. It’s a bit gloomy, but it’s all part of the remarkable natural world.”

This peculiar behavior reflects the themes of The Last of Us, where a fungal infection caused by Cordyceps turns people into violent zombies. The series, which stars actors Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, begins with a scientist warning about the dangers posed by fungi, leading to societal collapse due to the outbreak. In the show, infected people undergo horrific changes, eventually becoming blind “clickers” with fungal growths sprouting from their heads.

The Gibellula mushroom serves as a real-world example of parasitic fungi that have long fascinated scientists. However, experts assure that no known fungi have evolved to control the human mind as seen in fiction. Mitchell noted: “There have been about ten records of the Gibellula in Scotland in the last 70 years, and I can add two more to that number.” It shows how rich our temperate rainforest is, but also how important it is to get there “The West Cowal Habitat Restoration Project, which covers 45,000 hectares on the Cowal Peninsula between Loch Fyne and Loch Striven, focuses on reviving the temperate rainforest and protecting habitats for a variety of plants- and animal species. Managed by Argyll and the Isles Coast Countryside Trust, the project highlights the region's rich biodiversity and highlights the need for ongoing wildlife monitoring and documentation to uncover the wonders of nature.