A gruesome murder along the jungle trail....
Synopsis of crime : The accused is a species of Cordyceps, a parasitic fungus, that had infected an Euglossa bee some days/weeks back. Slowly, its mycelial filaments had spread into the internal organs and suck the bee dry. But the depleted zombie bee must complete one last act before it was allowed to RIP . By not injesting the vital muscles for movement and manipulating the nervous system of its host, the fungus drove the bee to stagger towards the direction of bright light, in this case an elevated stem of a Rattan (Calamus sp), before pulling the final trigger, destroying the brain and locking its host eternally in a characteristic rigor mortis with limbs and wings outstretched. In this way, its fruiting body, which then sprout from the cadaver as shown in the photo, will be unhindered and free to release the spores at a high and exposed location to effect greatest distribution of its progeny.
Verdict: Guilty of murder and body snatching.
This one is found in Singapore, perhaps experts here can ID the species.....thanks !
Hortlog
