Revolting video shows caterpillar infected by 'zombie' fungus from The Last of ... trends now
View
comments
The terrifying fungus that transforms humans into zombies in HBO's The Last of Us was found to infect a caterpillar, eating its insides and growing out of its head.
The gruesome scene was shared in a new video, showing the fungus grew five times longer than the insect.
Caterpillars living underground easily fall victim to the fungus that infiltrates their body after shedding their skin.
While the mummified, fungal-infected insect may look obscene, it is worth three times its weight in gold.
The rare hybrid is known for its anti-aging properties, eliminating diabetes and acting as a Viagra - and some people pay more than $63,00 per pound for it.
A video shows a mummified caterpillar inside a glass tube. A look further and you can see fungus sprouting from its head
The cordyceps that infect caterpillars are known as ophiocordyceps sinensis and are primarily found in meadows in the Tibetan Plateau in Tibet and the Himalayan regions of Bhutan and Nepal.
And these cordyceps are the cousin to the fungus in The Last of Us, which goes from infecting ants to turning