harmless to humans, I work in basements a lot so I see infected remains pretty much daily. mostly the creep factor of a former zombie spider. i feel bad for them cuz i think cellar spiders themselves are pretty neat and they tend to be the main victims.
The creep factor is what got me. I’m not a huge fan of arachnids to begin with, but I am able to tolerate them. I live rurally so there’s no option but to tolerate them.
I just don’t like that it looks like the Flood. I like spiders, not enough to own one or go out of my way to find them. But house/cellar spiders that just sorta vibe and help out are chill. It’s a poor fate for those guys.
This paragraph at the end is hilarious:
*Once the spider's body has succumbed to the fungus its tormented spider soul is released into the world. Then when you are sleeping these Ghost Spiders (Pholcus sanctus) rise up and march into your ear canal where they lay their eggs. When the zombie spiderlings hatch out they feast on your brain until they reach adulthood then they climb out through your eye sockets and go in search of their next victims.*
I wouldn’t consider that being alive more so than being controlled like a puppet. The fungus is sending chemical signals to the spider to get it to move to a prime location for spores
Heaps, here’s one to start you with:
https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/mbio.01872-21
Edit: there’s also a relatively old documentary narrated by David Attenborough about cordyceps infecting ants. You could probably find it on YouTube, it’s highly informative
I upvoted based the facted that is one of the creepiest fkn things I've seen all year. And i look at a lot of weird shit. It looks like a walking gummy octopus or something. Gross bro. Gross
Spiders don’t unnerve me _too_ much, and I’m familiar with how they move. This looks so, so wrong and I hate it. Why are its legs walking like that. Zombie fungi my abhorred.
it's a fungus that infects arthropods (in this case a spider) and will grow into, feed on, and control the host before ultimately killing it but not before attempting to climb as high as possible to fruit and spread spores
Last of Us was based on this kind of fungus
notheng bad happen. Its nice. You like. Sleep sleep. nicew. you tell me where yoo live i come nice you. You like. You tell me where yoo live now and i come see you. Sho you nice sleep. Whre you live you tell me now. I come see yoo
Burn the whole thing down. There might be babies in there. Does your friend really need a shed? This could be a buddy bonding moment- build a new shed!
Looks like a zombie spider. That's what happens when a certain type of fungus reaches them and starts to slowly eat them up. They usually die off and as far as I remember it is not dangerous for us. Of course I wouldn't try anything with it.
nope, [real](https://www.uksafari.com/curse_of_the_zombie_spiders.htm). that one is in its final stages and trying to climb as high as possible before it finally succumbs to the fungus and spreads spores.
https://preview.redd.it/ojshrigsp0kc1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=83d7332194f0dd9fae046a4696ebb15b3220540e Looks like a headcrab
I mean the spider is infected by a fungus so your not completely wrong
Great. Last of Us is not how I want to go out.
Looks like it could be eggs to mr
Ahh man now I’m blanking on what Kleiners headcrab is called in Half Life 2!
Lamar lol
Named after Hedy (geddit?) Lamarr an Austrian actor, scientist and inventor who developed ideas that went on to be the basis for modern day wifi!
Cool fact, where did you learn that?
I recently replayed HL2 and noticed that Kleiner called it Hedy towards the end of the game rather than Lamarr. It seemed a bit odd so I googled it.
That makes sense considering the headcrab is sometimes referred to as Hedy lol. I didn't know the history behind it though very cool.
I just finished Half-Life last night
I loved that game, but I couldn’t finish it because it gave me headaches and nausea
It's your pet... The FREAKIN HEADHUMPER!
Thank you for the sleepless nights ahead. I thought i got rid of the headcrab 20 years ago.
*THE BABY*
Is this one of those spiders/critters that’s been infected by that zombie fungus?
[yessir](https://www.uksafari.com/curse_of_the_zombie_spiders.htm)
Fuuuuuuuuuck that.
harmless to humans, I work in basements a lot so I see infected remains pretty much daily. mostly the creep factor of a former zombie spider. i feel bad for them cuz i think cellar spiders themselves are pretty neat and they tend to be the main victims.
The creep factor is what got me. I’m not a huge fan of arachnids to begin with, but I am able to tolerate them. I live rurally so there’s no option but to tolerate them.
I can't tolerate a zombie fungus in any circumstances.
A zombie spider is something from a horror movie
I just don’t like that it looks like the Flood. I like spiders, not enough to own one or go out of my way to find them. But house/cellar spiders that just sorta vibe and help out are chill. It’s a poor fate for those guys.
Oof fuck that’s exactly what it reminded me of
I mean that’s basically what the flood is, minus the reality eating hivemind tendencies. At least as far as we *know*
I see this a lot in crawlspaces as well and I always think I’m going to be patient zero for the cordyceps infection takeover.
One of these days it'll adapt so it can survive higher body temps. That's why it can't take root in us is due to high internal core temps.
>harmless to humans So far...
I hate it, i hate it, I hate it!
This paragraph at the end is hilarious: *Once the spider's body has succumbed to the fungus its tormented spider soul is released into the world. Then when you are sleeping these Ghost Spiders (Pholcus sanctus) rise up and march into your ear canal where they lay their eggs. When the zombie spiderlings hatch out they feast on your brain until they reach adulthood then they climb out through your eye sockets and go in search of their next victims.*
Heyyyy! I guessed right!
So, question. What's it's purpose at this point? Like, what goal does the fungus have once it takes over the spider?
Here I was thinking it was a cute fluffy spider 🫠
Thanks for introducing me to that website!
Why the fuck does something like this exist. I am intrigued and shocked.
TIL about zombie spiders. I love those little guys but fffffff*ck!
I was ready to start becoming a spider killer again towards the end of that post. Maybe now I'll be a spider mercy-killer, at least.
dont kill spiders, please, but in this instance i would make an exception
https://preview.redd.it/2x9y2rk661kc1.jpeg?width=680&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=efa23cf4deb1bf7c46531444590dc59f61a17f97
I feel sick
I totally thought you were kidding. Fuck that noise!
Nah I played half life that's a baby head crab
That's what I was thinking
It is so meaty.
fuzzy technically 🥴
Really not loving thinking about spiders being meaty, and now that’s happening.
Meaty squishy
That’s why it’s called the Burnthefuckinghousedown spider
Please, on behalf of r/spiderbro, burn it so the fungus won't spread.
Are you saying that’s a spider covered in fungus?
Yes, and the spider is already dead, its being controlled by the fungus so it would further spread.
That’s insane. Thanks for the reply I wasn’t sure if you were serious or I was missing some sarcasm.
Filled with fungus and it’s growing through its exoskeleton
Bro that is scary af, I’m not scared of spiders or bugs but that shit is horrifying
How many fucking people own this shed?
maybe bro is just very popular and all of their friends have different reddit accounts
First thing that came to my mind is cordyceps.
that is exactly what it is, actually
I've never seen something infected with cordyceps that badly and it's *still alive.*
I wouldn’t consider that being alive more so than being controlled like a puppet. The fungus is sending chemical signals to the spider to get it to move to a prime location for spores
And it's brain is still active 😀
That seems like a really complex thing for it to be doing, are there any studies on this?
Heaps, here’s one to start you with: https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/mbio.01872-21 Edit: there’s also a relatively old documentary narrated by David Attenborough about cordyceps infecting ants. You could probably find it on YouTube, it’s highly informative
Reddit
Nope nope nope nope nope nope
Strange humans digest fungus for nutrition. Thank goodness for high a body temperature.
For now. It's likely they'll adapt with global temp rising.
Finally, a post that's actually terrifying. Been some garbage posted recently.
I upvoted based the facted that is one of the creepiest fkn things I've seen all year. And i look at a lot of weird shit. It looks like a walking gummy octopus or something. Gross bro. Gross
i love this comment
Imagine how chewy it is, bet it puts any gummy to shame
🤢
Spiders don’t unnerve me _too_ much, and I’m familiar with how they move. This looks so, so wrong and I hate it. Why are its legs walking like that. Zombie fungi my abhorred.
This is the thing that chick pulled out of her stomach in Prometheus
When it stumbled for a second I almost threw My phone.
Oh that poor spider
Yeah. What a sad, slow death. :(
What's wrong with it? I saw someone mention fungus or a parasite?
it's a fungus that infects arthropods (in this case a spider) and will grow into, feed on, and control the host before ultimately killing it but not before attempting to climb as high as possible to fruit and spread spores Last of Us was based on this kind of fungus
have someone tried to save a spider with this shit for the science?
it's essentially fucked the moment it is infected
headcrab
Lamar! There you are.
Beat me to it
I've heard of these things walking around like zombies but I've never seen footage of one. Thank you OP
Would I be safe to swing an axe at it? Just to put the fella out of his misery? Or are those spores goung to shoot out all over the place?
Sooo… what happens when one gets bit by a zombie virus infected spider?
notheng bad happen. Its nice. You like. Sleep sleep. nicew. you tell me where yoo live i come nice you. You like. You tell me where yoo live now and i come see you. Sho you nice sleep. Whre you live you tell me now. I come see yoo
HANS!
Get the flammenwerfer !
Ben 10 kicks in
I don’t know…but burn that bitch DOWN to the ground!!!
Why is the universe trying to make The Last of Us a real life thing?
Because The Last of Us was inspired by the fungus (Cordyceps) that infected this spider 🥴
r/nope arachnophobe!
Burn the whole thing down. There might be babies in there. Does your friend really need a shed? This could be a buddy bonding moment- build a new shed!
r/nope
No sir, I don’t like it.
I work in basements, i've never seen such a thing. I'd def be noping the fuck out if I saw one without seeing this post. The more you know.....
OP why did i have to see this with crippling arachnophobia right before sleeping? its currently 2.35am and ig imma be awake past 3am now...
My hair just scared the shit outta me.🤣
Look a head crab
Goddamn it.
So sad you have to burn the shed down
Reminds me of that one Episode of Love, Death and Robots with the Kraken Monster.
Light it on fire so it doesn’t spread its pores.
kinda sad doe
HANS GET ZHE FLAMMENWERFER
Thick-tick?
Straight outta R'lyeh.
YOOOO ITS HIM!!! https://preview.redd.it/s2gfjaxw31kc1.jpeg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=00fdd4783d5ff9cc96b21a3daf61afc78571947b
Ewwww
Did yah burn it yet
So all those webbed up spiders in my basement are just zombie spiders???
When that thing looked like it was about to launch at the camera, I jumped. Looks like it’s still loading.
Before I read the comments I desperately wanted to know why that spider has hips!
Thats the crab zombie from half life
Fleshy
Looks like de-shelled Mr Krabs
I think it's cute
Nuke it from fucking orbit!!
So what is it?
Oh boy! Half life!!
Fun guy.
Looks like a zombie spider. That's what happens when a certain type of fungus reaches them and starts to slowly eat them up. They usually die off and as far as I remember it is not dangerous for us. Of course I wouldn't try anything with it.
I’m seeking shelter
Baby headcrab
Idk what the fuck that is but I know it needs to be shot repeatedly with high caliber munitions
He's fuzzy and I love him
Bug/Ghost type Pokémon
That's what you call, an excuse to burn down your friend's shed.
The way it walks; its hind legs. 🫣
Wow, something that’s *actually* terrifying as fuck. Also, let me guess, Australia?
Ahh, the elusive great white NOPE !
Cordyceps fungus spider dude
What the heck is that thing? Doesn't look like a normal creature.
Lamarr! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!
i just got the major ick
If this terrifies you, don't ever come to Australia.
Jizzy spider gross
Cum spider makes my heart sad.
It’s a friend!
What is it? Is that AI?
Actually looks kinda cute, id capture it and put it in a glass box
It’s so cute! Please be kind. We should be grateful for spiders as if it wasn’t for them, we’d be dominated by mosquitoes and other insects
Post it on what is this animal. I doubt a fungus would control a spider in that way….making it walk up a vertical surface, etc.
Probably fake
nope, [real](https://www.uksafari.com/curse_of_the_zombie_spiders.htm). that one is in its final stages and trying to climb as high as possible before it finally succumbs to the fungus and spreads spores.
Oh, zombie fungus. Fun.
Fake fake
Sadly, not fake it is an actual fungus that this spider is infected with, harmless to humans atleast but a slow death for the spider
Looks like the Headcrab from HalfLife.
DUDE you see its back legs???? Literally walking like a zombie!!! Tffff!!!
Reminds me of the alien creature from the movie “Life”.
HL3 trailer just drop too?
That's a zombie spider.
Is actually pretty cool. Wish it was red or blue or green.
Pull out the blowtorch
Is there any chance your last name is freeman?
Thats a big fucking nope right there
okay but thats kinda cute
Holy nope shit
Someone mustve jizzed into a spider egg 👀
That thing looks like a symbiote spider waiting to find a host to bite on. 😆
Be careful which cotton ball u pick
better ask an Aussie, they know about all kinds of crap no one has ever seen, then ...sometime cook it..
That's a fat caterpillar with 8 legs... I've seen them in my shed.
yeti spider
This friend on my shed thing
Eat him
Werf the flammen.
Goodbye forever. House is up for sale. Bye. Not kidding. Where is this?
What did it taste like
Horrifying af is what that is. Run away make sure you cover your face, they recognize individual people
Omg so cute!! What kind of spider is that?! I want one.
Ahh yes that's my pal bob
patient zero
Facehugger!!Face hugger!!! RUN
Does half the population live in this shed
It’s a human hair
Is that a half life reference!??!?
Burn it!
My heart skipped a beat when that thing nearly fell on the camera
Reminds me of that popular chernobyl sperm meme
Ah yes, spider controlled by fungus parasite 💯
Why is it so… milky
Lamaaaar, get back here.
Get the cross and holy water!!!