Zombie-ant fungus found living inside moss before infecting its hosts

Scientists have discovered that the zombie-ant fungus, known for manipulating ant behaviour, may have a hidden life stage inside mosses. This finding suggests the fungus quietly inhabits plants before it moves on to infect ants. The discovery points to a more complex, multi-species ecological relationship involving both plants and insects than previously recognised. Researchers believe this challenges earlier assumptions about how the parasite survives and spreads in biodiverse environments. The study has broad implications for understanding parasite evolution in complex ecosystems.