#and fungus that can control ants

[suckinitup]

see i already plant-assigned william the strangling vine but i was thinking too about what the other guys might get and im . normal. because i was thinking about poppies for dakota (the death and remembrance noble symbol thing and the red and the opioids and if you eat them they mega poison you. but when you look at them theyre just a good flower with some cool symbolism). and then dakota gave william his heart and now he can sleep. and guess what else poppies are associated with

[rip-bugsandbobbit]

Coprin and Ralis‼️‼️💪😼

Coprin is the black bat, Ralis is the brown bat

It's nice how they were confined lab subjects with the ability to fly but trapped in a building not built for it, and now they can actually use their wings!

[princessnijireiki]

anyway our CNS & brains are pretty complex, like we've barely figured out getting people with partial spinal cord damage back driving their own bodies + when we do it's still a roll of the dice & the processes are not all well understood... encephalitis can caused locked-in-ness like with sleeping sicknesses, akinetic mutism, etc where the body itself is not physically incapable of movement & action, but nothing is out there that jumps in and takes over from a driver who's paralyzed or asleep at the wheel... that's not actually a thing, it's fun speculative fiction but not representative of reality— so really, no worries lol

[futurebird]

The case for domesticated ants.

Domesticated bees are incredibly useful. They pollinate many crops and produce honey. But what could domesticated ants do for humanity?

Ants are much stronger than bees and come in a wide range of sizes. They can be kept healthy on an inexpensive a diet of feeder insects and plant sugars. Ants are fastidious and pay attention to details. They would be excellent for agriculture. Weaver ants are already used for pest control in orchards, farmers place silk cocoons in the trees to attract queens and connect the branches of adjacent trees to help the ants expand their territory. The weaver ants naturally attack most arthropods that enter the tree.

But what if ants could also help with tasks like controlling unwanted weeds? Some species of ants grow fungus gardens and practice weeding to keep the gardens free of inedible fungi and plants. Ants that live in mutualistic relationships with trees and gourds meticulously trim and kill all unwanted plants that grow near their host plant. Domesticated herbicidal ants could collect seeds from weeds and clip seedlings.

Ants could also be used for pest control in enclosed spaces. Army ants sweep over the forest killing most arthropods in a region. What if they could sweep over your apartment, or restaurant every few weeks and eliminate unwanted guests?

Larger ants could be used for search and rescue. Equipped with small trackers or cameras (The larger ants could wear the cameras) they could sweep over a destabilized building and find missing people.

Ants could also help with fiddly sorting tasks, anything that involves putting little objects in piles.

They are also very good at finding leaks.

Really the future is bright if there are more ants in it.

[iivari-ii]

My X-men obsession is not getting better, I made a fucking oc and now I can’t get him out of my head

Anyway, Kurt Wagner and his moldy boyfriend, Chester Brown🤲🤲 still working out the details of his mutation, but the basis of it is Spores, Molds and Fungus (specifically the fungus that can take control of ants? Fun stuff)

Not much is fully set in stone with him yet, except for his themes and the fact he’s a charming, but annoying pretend-sleaze bag

Someday I’ll make actual decisions about him and his story, but that day is not today🫡

[pichoshaw]

The kingdom of Fungal Life 

When we think about the natural world, our minds often gravitate towards lush forests, vibrant flowers, and majestic animals. However, lurking beneath the surface and often hidden from plain sight is a kingdom of life that is as essential as it is mysterious: fungi. These remarkable organisms play a crucial role in the ecosystem, contributing to processes that sustain life on Earth. Let’s delve into the captivating world of fungi and explore their diverse and critical roles in nature.

Fungi belong to their own kingdom, separate from plants, animals, and bacteria. This diverse group includes yeasts, molds, and mushrooms. Unlike plants, fungi do not perform photosynthesis; instead, they obtain nutrients through absorption. They secrete enzymes that break down complex organic matter into simpler compounds, which they then absorb. This mode of nutrition classifies them as saprophytes (decomposers), parasites, or mutualists.

One of the most vital roles fungi play in nature is that of decomposers. They break down dead organic material, such as fallen leaves, dead trees, and animal carcasses. This decomposition process is crucial for nutrient cycling, as it releases essential elements like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus back into the soil, making them available for plants and other organisms. Without fungi, these nutrients would remain locked in dead matter, disrupting the balance of ecosystems.

Many fungi form symbiotic relationships with plants through structures known as mycorrhizae. These fungi colonize plant roots, extending far into the soil and increasing the surface area for water and nutrient absorption. In return, the fungi receive carbohydrates produced by the plant through photosynthesis. This mutualistic relationship enhances plant growth, resilience to stress, and nutrient uptake, illustrating a remarkable example of cooperation in nature.

While many fungi play beneficial roles, some can be pathogenic, causing diseases in plants, animals, and humans. For instance, the fungus Ophiocordyceps infects ants and other insects, eventually controlling their behavior to facilitate spore dispersal. In plants, fungi can cause devastating diseases like rusts, smuts, and blights, affecting crops and natural vegetation. Understanding these pathogenic interactions is crucial for managing agricultural health and preserving natural ecosystems.

Beyond their ecological roles, fungi have significant applications in medicine and biotechnology. The discovery of penicillin, derived from the mold Penicillium, revolutionized medicine by providing the first effective antibiotic. Fungi also produce other medically important compounds, such as immunosuppressants and cholesterol-lowering drugs. In biotechnology, fungi are used in processes ranging from fermentation in food production to the breakdown of pollutants in bioremediation.

Fungi exhibit a stunning variety of forms and colors, particularly noticeable in mushrooms and molds. From the luminescent glow of bioluminescent fungi to the intricate patterns of mushroom caps, fungi contribute to the aesthetic diversity of nature. Some fungi even exhibit bizarre and fascinating behaviors, such as the slime molds that can navigate mazes or the cordyceps fungi that create “zombie” insects.

[jazzzzzzhands]

Ok FOR REAL Theory Time!!! Gonna be massive spoilers plus mention of bugs/fungus! So I'm calling this the Mold Theory And what is the Mold? It's the black stuff under Home! (Mold under a house is very suiting, right?) The Mold has contaminated Every single thing that the Restoration team has found! The team talks about the envelopes, the antiques, and the artwork found for Welcome Home and how it is alwasys Wet and covered in Grime. The stuff that is "Growing" all over the found items... Staff must wear gloves or they will get covered in it

You can see it all over the gloves, the Walls, and even the Website Itself! It's also been shown on the restored art prior to the update. But one unfortunate person seems to have touched it. and that is.. The Question Answerer! (The head person of the Restoration team is also most likely infected) Now what this Mold does is, It seems to have an effect of the person's mental state. Causing them to see and hear things, as well as having lucid nightmares and an overwhelming urge to draw spirals. From the very moment of contact, it seems to have effect "When I Unwrapped the first letter, I felt it. I heard it. Open Open Open. I want it out, I'm Going to get it Out" Instant Hallucinations and Obsession! Now I'm going to be Comparing this Mold to a Real fungus called Cordyceps, or the Zombie-Ant Fungus. It is a fungus that can control BUGS (familar themes right?) and take over their minds, forcing them to act unnaturally and wander far in order to spread itself! ~Similarily~ this Mold can take control of the Host's mind as well. The "Spores" that it is trying to spread are the drawings of the spirals/eyes. And the more eyes are Drawn, the more Wally can SEE. Wally has made it truly apparent that he can see us through any rendition of his eyes. "I've seen you every time you've looked into my eyes" "I have more eyes than I did before, you know how to draw eyes You draw mine, many times. I know it is thanks to you, Neighbor.. That I can see.. but it is still.. I can't see" He is giving us instructions.. "You have work to do" -Giving us instrustions on how to draw an eye... "Please Open, Let me In" Now I find this last instruction very funny He doesn't say "Let me Out" No... He says "Let me IN" Into What? What are we Opening? Our doors?Our EYES? our Mind? our Heart?? I think that could be exactly it!!! Letting him.... into You!!! (The collective You) Isn't that Funny? A Funny little thought?! The Puppet becoming the Puppeteer! ooh hee hee hoo hoo I think I'm very clever about that! But there are so many themes of Strings/Control/Scripts That I simply couldn't help myself! Now does that mean I think Wally is Evil? Absolutely NOT I LOVE Wally, and hey, what's a bit of mind control between Neighbors? <333 I'll borrow a cup of sugar and you can borrow my sanity! That's what Neighbors are for! <3 Jokes aside, No I Do NOT think Wally is Evil!! No, he might become a Puppeteer over the Real world... (and It might be for good reason, to save his friends and himself) but he is still very much a Puppet himself. Literally and Figuratively, And the Real Mastermind behind the strings is... Home!

Afterall? Isn't that where the Mold is coming from? From Down Below? Below Home?

This image gives me BIG TIME Obediance vibes Reporting/Worship/Subjugation I very much see Wally as the Lure of a very big Angler Fish.. The bait, the perfect little puppet that has captured our hearts and led us by the hand into Welcome Home. Isn't that very much how it has gone in real life? (Oh I KNOW I got the Mold BAD!!! ahahaha) (I can't stop drawing himmm!!! :3c ) But this is where my rambling stops, Until Next Time! I will just say that: The Relationship between Home and Wally (And by extension, YOU) Is a Strange one for sure! And I cant wait to see it further! And Just one more extra note on this whole Fungus thing.. Did you know that the BIGGEST Organism on the entire Earth.. Is a Mushroom? It is because they are connected through their Roots... (Down Below) and Houses kinda are shaped like musrooms... I will Leave it at That! Ahahahaha!

[eddwardtheseventhspacewizard]

Can’t sleep, gonna rant about Sozo.

Also this is a long ass post and I tried my best to break it up. It’s mostly speculation about menticide tbh.

So I’ve been thinking about how the menticide is obviously based on cordyceps, we already know that but, I was thinking about how when he becomes Sozonius he has no memory of what happened while he was infected. The thing is cordyceps doesn’t actually control the brain really. It more so cuts the brain off from the rest of the body and controls the body. In fact there was a study focused on the mandibles of infected ants and there was fungus in them and affecting them. It’s because the cordyceps will make an ant move to a higher space under a leaf or something and then the ant will clamp down on it so even after they die they stay firmly in place and the fungus can fully mature and spread more spores to the unsuspecting ants below. Fungi are very picky about temperature and that’s why they move to a higher space. That’s also why cordyceps doesn’t infect humans. Also the ants infected are typically carpenter ants.

Anyway back to menticide. I believe the menticide is not entirely dependent on a host for spreading spores. While the shrooms we pick in Anura very well could’ve sprouted from corpses (maybe even ones sacrificed to Heket) we can take them back to our own farm and grow them no corpses required and I doubt they’re catching spiders at night. They don’t get quite as large as the ones in Anura though. It could be that those ones are years old but I doubt that because Sozo. There could also just be more desirable growing conditions in Anura leading to the larger fungi which is much more likely I think. Those growing conditions may or may not include a sacrifice but the most we can do right now is speculate and headcannon.

I also would like to think that our followers end up being fine after the brain washing ritual because they take smaller doses (much smaller than Sozo takes) and due to the cool down they take it way less frequently. Also the position of the cult in that sorta valley region likely does no favors for the menticide, this can be backed up by the farm as I mentioned just before.

I think Sozo’s followers end up being “fine” after his rituals because they themselves are mushrooms. Not just mushrooms but clearly also menticide. I put fine in quotations because there is an implication of cannibalism but also we get to commit cannibalism in our cult too so it probably actually is fine in the game. Anyway I don’t think a menticide mushroom would infect itself but that does bring to question why it would brain wash itself and why there even are shrooms with brains in the first place.

I saw another theory (I don’t remember who posted it, I’m so sorry) that proposed that the Mushroomos may be the result of sacrifice in Anura. Remember when I mentioned the shrooms there and how they’re larger? Maybe some of them do sprout from corpses and if left to grow they gradually become more humanoid and then eventually, Mushroomo. Maybe the shrooms we collect already produced a Mushroomo. I don’t know but there’s some interesting speculative biology there. I’m still not sure why the menticide has any effect on them though seeing as Dr. Sozonius mentions that they offered him some. That kinda implies that they already ate it unless they intentionally infected him. But why would they do that?

What would be the motive? Is it because he’s an ant? Are ants better hosts? Did that want him to spread the spores? Why wouldn’t the Mushroomos use his corpse for anything? Is it respect? Is it disrespect?! Why where we able to plant a mushroom get an ant and then remove the mushroom from the mushroom ant!!?? Is that guy in our cults really Sozo or does it just believe it is Sozo?

There were no signs to show Sozo was old. It is undeniable that Sozonius is elderly. Maybe the menticide does have some anti-aging properties but as soon as the shroom is removed the affect is reversed. Maybe it also has healing or regenerative properties. Maybe that’s why we were able to “grow” Sozo. Maybe that’s why his follower form is also so small and lacks some limbs (totally not just a convenient game design thing or anything lmao) anyway I think when we remove the shroom from Sozo’s head it does have him on it so when we plant it it regenerates him from that little bit. That does technically make him a sorta clone seeing as his corpse is still back at Spore Grotto. This theory also means that if he stayed in the ground a bit longer then maybe his whole body would’ve gone back to how it was before. Or maybe not though. Maybe the regeneration from the menticide is limited. Maybe it would still regenerate him out of the ground but we removed it so he won’t fully grow back now (keeping with 100%ing the story of course. I know some of you don’t because you think Sozonius is boring, which is sad but fair. From a story perspective though the lamb does cure him though so I’m going with that)

Also if ants are better hosts and they wanted him to spread the spores imagine if accidentally got his whole colony killed. I’m starting to enter fanfic territory lol.

Sozo manages to spread the menticide and gets his colony wiped out. He either has a higher tolerance or compatibility or something or the Mushroomos are intentionally keeping him alive. I don’t know why. Uh cheap answer is vague prophecy I guess? Anyway you know when you read Sozo’s mind while he’s in jail and he thinks “ where is Mimi?” I don’t have a screenshot rn sorry. But who the fuck is Mimi? And imagine the devastation Sozonius would feel knowing he got them killed. Sozo and Dr. Sozonius remind me of Ice King and Simon so like what if Mimi is almost his Betty or something?

Oh shit! I almost forgot about how I mentioned that cordyceps doesn’t actually control the mind but menticide does. I just thought that would be interesting to explore because what if Sozo what still somewhat conscious as Sozonius while having no real control over his body. Terrifying as shit.

[nogendermoretrees]

So you've heard of the fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, which famously parasitizes ants and turns them into "zombies," controlling their movements? Well a research team wanted to know how that works so they looked at the structure of the fungus in ants right before it kills them.

They found that, "As much as 40 per cent of the biomass of an infected ant is fungus. Hyphae [fungal threads] wind through their body cavities, from heads to legs, enmesh their muscle fibres and coordinate their activity via an interconnected mycelial network. However, in the ants' brains, the fungus is conspicuous by its absence... The researchers suspect that the fungus is able to puppeteer the ants' movements by secreting chemicals that act on their muscles and central neverous system." (Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake, illustrated edition, page 123.)

So instead of turning ants into mindless zombies, the fungus leaves their brains alone and just takes over control of their limbs, leaving the ants fully aware (to whatever extent ants are self-aware) but unable to control their bodies.

That is SO MUCH WORSE than zombies! Imagine The Last of Us but the infected still have their thoughts, personalities, and desires intact even as the fungus forces them to attack and kill their friends and family. Imagine having to protect yourself against them. Someone please write this so I can read it.

[certifiedantlover]

"Did you know, Ants can become zombies? It occurs when ants encounter fungus spores when searching for food. The fungus pores, when eaten take control of their brain."

[scrunkalicious]

how do u feel about being a viktor kisser

GOOD DAY HELLO!!!

Honestly I really really love him, and hez changed my life a ton! A lot of how I'm seen IRL has been affected by this man (100% I know half of my grade is sick of me but itz hilarious) and I love that for myself! Loving Viktor has also helped my art develop faster than anything could have??!???!;!!?? Like wdym I made a fully rendered digital painting in a few nightz as a whim for Valentine's Day (I'll put it under the cut!!) and since then I've made banger art????? Also my writing has improved and I write more now???????? Sometimez seeing other shipz with Viktor makez me upset, but itz also just another way for me to get used to the idea of not being able to control thingz (Martor is the best tho.....just saying........). I have better understanding of things bc of him, a coping mechanism and a beautiful man to think of. Sometimes I've had IRL disputes because of the fact that I really like Viktor, people saying things, a lot of those being friends I've trusted. It's an interesting thing for me to see, and I get hurt when it happens. But it's also nice to see other people stand up for me, and assure me that I'm not weird for it. And it's lead me to stand up for myself, and tell people that yes, I do love him! And if they don't like that they can go away and not be my friend, since they should respect that aspect of me. Loving Viktor has also lead me to meet many other selfshippers, some of which have become some of the best friendz ever (LUCY AND KAT IF YOU SEE THIS....HEY GIRRRRLLL)!!!!!!! I could ramble on and on about how much I love every single thing about him, and how he has gone from the character that I DEADASS KEPT MIXING UP WITH SILCO THE FIRST TIME I SAW ARCANE (I was as conscious as an ant infected with zombie fungus ok), to quite my entire world!! think the best part of being a Viktor kisser is just seeing how much I can love. It's nice to love Viktor, and allow me to then love myself, and just love in general.

YAAAYYY VIKTOR MY BEAUTIFUL HUSBAND

That piece I was talking abt that I made in a few nightz! Prior to this I've never made a realistic thing like this, or any painting style,,, I JUST BALLED

[xaeyrnofnbe]

ok so i haven’t talked about these guys AT ALL on here, despite these creatures being a creation of mine i’m very fond of. the main reason i haven’t shared anything about them is that up until this point, i’ve never had a solid design for them. at least not on i’ve been satisfied with.

the Xerex-1 are an artificial form of life, starting out having been created and essentially piloted by a sentient kind of fungus, but have since evolved into singular functioning creatures built off of a symbiotic relationship. the intelligence has passed on to the Xerex, while the incredible connection and communication abilities remain fungal, though are utilized entirely by the hosts. the Xerex operate much like a colony or hive of insects, with a single “queen” in charge of each colony.

the body itself is large, about 7 feet at the height pictured in the above illustration. the skin is scaly, though not especially rough. (the hide is very strong, though.) the dancing bioluminescence on their brows, antennae, wings and frills are always at least subtly visible, and grow brighter and flash with more intensity when agitated. the antennae and nose are both incredibly sensitive and receptive to smells, sounds, and specialized fungal signals. interspecies combat is highly uncommon, but friendly headbutting matches are aided by the short, sturdy horns on the back of the head, along with a thick forehead.

individuals do have their own will and thoughts, but can transmit complex messages through touch alone thanks to the interconnected fungal network that inhabits their bodies. they can also send remote signals through the release of spores. the queen of a colony, unlike her workers, can control other individuals using spores, or touch if a stronger connection is needed.

the dragonlike forms are referred to as Xerex-1. this is because there are other forms the Xerex can take. the consciousness of an individual, if the body is destroyed or otherwise damaged beyond repair, can essentially eject itself from the body using specialized spores and either settle somewhere to regrow, or find a new host. it is not uncommon for multiple consciousnesses to inhabit the same body. the free-floating, ghostlike spore form is referred to as Xerex-2, and if it inhabits a host that is unlike it’s original form, it is referred to as Xerex-3.

Xerex society is rather complex, what with their borderline psychic connectedness. they live similarly to humans, really. they have their own lives, and hobbies, even relationships. human ideas of sex aren’t really a thing when it comes to both the sex of individuals, or for procreation. similarly once again to the ants or bees of earth, most Xerex would be perceived as either sexless or as female, and lack genitalia. all reproduction occurs through the fungal network. babies simply grow out of the ground.

unfortunately for the Xerex, their home planet is very harsh, home to mostly fungi, large and small, and the occasional weird bug-looking thing that bites or stings or pinches. because of this, they have begun to exhaust their world of it’s already very limited resources, and a particularly ambitious colony have taken to the stars to search for a new home. it just so happens that earth is the most promising location, and it’s dominant species just so happens to make for fantastic hosts. (this is the basis of an old story of mine.)

as always, my asks are open, and i’m more than happy to respond to questions and other ideas.

[final-girl96]

Ageless Secrets Chapter One

August 2007

It's been almost two years since the outbreak. The government, now known as FEDRA, finally had quarantine zones that people could go to. They had them set up a year after the outbreak happened. The QZs were in a lot of the major cities, New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, they were all over the place. Right now we were making our way to Boston. We tried getting in the one in Detroit, going all the way back home but it was clear it wouldn't happen as soon as we got there. The road to the QZ was backed up for miles. So we turned around and headed for the one in Ohio but that too was out of the question.

We then decided to just keep going. There was supposed to be one in Boston that wasn't even finished yet. We figured if we could get there early we could be one of the first to get in. But it was rough being out on the road. Supplies were hard to come by, no place was safe, we had to worry about raiders. This was a new world and the old world rules didn't apply anymore. People would kill you for whatever you had.

Eventually, we met up with other survivors. You know what they say, safety in numbers and all that jazz. We turned into those people that we would hide from. It's what we had to do to survive. It's that kind of world now that you kill or be killed. Hiding wasn't always an option. We car jacked, stole, killed, and left people for dead. I am nineteen now and I've been through too much for my age. I used to be scared all the time. I let Tess handle everything. But after A while those hopes and dreams that this whole outbreak would eventually be over vanished.

Cordyceps, that's what the sickness was, it's a fungus. At one point it only affected things like ants. It would attach itself to the ant and eventually make its way to its brain and take control. It used to never be able to survive in the human body with how high our body temperature was. But it adapted. There are three known stages of infection as of now.

Runners: The first and most common stage, occurring within hours or days of infection. They are still human in appearance, but lose control of their faculties and sprint you. Kind of like Andy had done.

Stalkers: The second stage, where the infected show physical signs of the infection, such as spores growing from their head and body. They are also more agile than runners. They like to stay in darker places and they like to follow you. They've been infected for at least two weeks and remain that way until about a year before going to the next stage.

Clickers: The third stage, where the infected become blood-hungry husks. They can't see you because of the fungus overing their face. But they have impeccable hearing and make this creepy ass clicking noise. They've been infected for a least a year or two.

You have to be careful no matter what with the infected, but they seem to like the dark more than being out in the day light. The dwell in builds where it's dark. You always need to so a sweep, being as quiet as possible when you go into a house or building to loat or stay in. You always need to be careful of any spores in the air. The Cordyceps isn't just inside the infected, it also grows around any that have been sitting somewhere for a while. The spores alone can infected you, so wearing a gas mask is the best option in those situation.

A few weeks ago we met two men, brothers. Joel, the oldest and his younger brother Tommy. Tommy was thirty-two, the same age as Tess and Joel was thirty-six or would be soon according to Tommy. Everything happened on Joel birthday, September twenty-sixth. I won't sit here and pretend that I didn't find Joel attractive the second I laid eyes on him. But he didn't pay any attention to me. Why would he? I'm a nineteen year old girl.

Joel didn't trust very easily either, not as easily as Tommy did. Tommy warmed up to Tess and I pretty quick. He the more reasonable one of the two. Joel and Tess had a lot in common, she wasn't very trusting either. I mean, I don't trust people anymore but I'm not as bad as Tess is. I would have trusted Joel in a heartbeat even after he put a gun to my head.

Yup, that's right, Joel had a gun to my head when we first ran into them. They thought we were trying to rob them and we thought they were trying to rob us. To be fair we were going to rob them and they were going to do the same to us. Tess had her gun trained on Joel, daring him to pull the trigger. Tommy was the voice of reason. He's the one that convince both of the to lower their weapons and talk. Tommy came up with the idea to band together all while Joel still had a hold of me.

“Let's put our guns down and talk about this. Joel, come on, she's just a kid.” I scoffed at that, “I'm fucking nineteen, asshole.” Tess glared at me. “Yn, shut up!” I rolled my eyes at her and let out a long sigh. “Joel, please, lower your gun,” Tommy pleaded. Only when Tess lowered hers, holding a hand up in surrender did Joel lower his gun. “Are you going to let go of me? I'm not one that likes physical contact all that much.”

It had all been quite thrilling and terrifying. When Joel finally let me go, he pushed me towards my sister, almost causing me to fall. “Fucking asshole!” Tess had grabbed me and pulled me behind her, telling me to shut up. They made a deal that we would all work together. But that doesn't mean we trust each other fully. Joel was cold towards us, at least he was to me. He got along with Tess more than he got along with me. I was ignored anytime I tried to pitch in ideas.

Tess forced me to stay back when they went to raid people. She acted like I never killed someone. I had killed more people than I'd like to admit. I'm nineteen and have killed men and women. You didn't see too many children anymore. For a while Tess couldn't even look at a kid. She could hardly look at me. I hated that she would make me hang back a lot, but I also understood why she did It.

“Alright, yn, you–” I cut her off with a roll of my eyes. “Yeah, yeah, stay here. Stay out of sight. Don't come out unless I tell you to. You're no help to us. You're useless. You'll just be in the way and get yourself or someone else killed. Blah blah blah.” She let out a heavy sigh, “Please don't start your shit. I just want you to be safe.”

“Whatever, Tess, just go.” I turned around and walked back into the building we had been sitting in for the past three hours. Joel and Tess were watching a group of men across the way. Tommy didn't seem to want to be a part of it but he was doing what we had to do to survive. “I'll stay back with her, keep an eye out from here.” I groaned, rolling my eyes back and stormed off. “I don't need a babysitter!”

“Keep your damn voice down!” Joel hissed at me. I spun around and gave him the finger, "Shove it up your ass!” His jaw clenched and he started after me. “Joel,” Tommy warned. “Yn, please, stop your damn attitude!” Tess said sternly. “Look here little girl–” That pissed me off even more. I know I was acting like a child, but I was getting sick of them treating me like I was unable to do anything.

“Little girl! Little fucking girl! Really? Go fuck yourself, Joel. All of you can go fuck yourself. You all act like I can't take care of myself. You act like I'm nothing but a burden to you. I'm so sick and tired of it. You always thought you were better than me Tess, just because you're older. You always have to be in charge. You're not the only one whole has been having a hard fucking time! I'm not a little girl anymore. I can take care of myself.”

[randomcollection-o-stuff]

I saw your tags on the mycology tumblr post - I challenge you to scare me with a mushroom fact. I’ve harvested and eaten wild mushrooms a few times, I’ve got my share of guidebooks and worked on research my university did on suede boletes. I’m no spring chicken of the woods but i’m also far from an expert. Scare me with the Deep Mushroom Lore

Woaaaah this got a bit lost and im a bit late, yikes! Anyway it looks like you were focusing on the Basidiomycota phylum which is where a lot of the frontliners and popular ones are. But let's look at the Ascomycota, lots of scary stuff there, lord there's so much but baseline ig is cordyceps which everyone knows about now. They can alter and control insects, a big example is bullet ant behavior to makes them climb as high as they can and bite onto the grass or whatnot to secure themselves until the host dies. They go as high as possible so when the cordycep actually grows the fruitbody the spores can spread as far as possible. Luckily for us human nervous systems are way too complex for the cordyceps....for now.

I mean any parasite that controls it's host is crazy and I 10000% recommend looking into it.

There's another fungus Laboulbeniomycetes that grows exclusively on arthropod exoskeleton.

A lot of fungal diseases make me shudder, there are probably fungal spores in your lungs right now! Pneumocystis is the genus of a yeast that loves your lungs and you guessed it, causes a strain of pneumonia that's very hard to diagnose! Yippee! Mostly because it is very hard to culture.

Let's look at everyone's favorite yeast Conidida. This guy is DIMORPHIC so it can be a yeast or invasive hyphae depending on environmental triggers/conditions, and wouldn't you know it, lives at human body temp. This guy causes yeast infections and the like.

Aspergillus is one that ferments soy products BUT can also cause Apergillosis which can cause an allergic reaction and eventually a fungal ball growth in your lungs, aak!

In a different phylum, Mucoromycota, Mucormycosis is probably my least favorite as the group USUALLY targets your fruits and is that pesky mold. Well another version of it will target the sinuses of immunocompromized diabetics. These are sugar loving molds so uhhhhh, no bueno. I recommend looking at pictures with CAUTION it is gross. The eyes can get really messed up, black lesions can show up on your face really really nasty stuff.

Anyway, Ascomycota cool group, lots of human diseases (many of which are hard to cure because of how close fungi are to animals so we target very specific things in their cells but OOPS resistance is on the rise), have fun with this info ::)

[drinkinboilingcoffee]

Horror game concept:

You play as an ant in a Harvest Moon village style hive. For the first few days, you can explore the village, talk with other ants, form relationships, etc. Every day you have to go out foraging, collecting foods and items you can bring back to the hive or trade with.

On the third day, you come across a dead ant in your path. Something is wrong with it. There’s something growing on it. Some… mushroom? Maybe you can eat it. It’s so late already, will you actually find any food if you go further? You collect the fungus. You eat a bit. You go home.

The next day, you see it’s thrown out. The ant who did it tells you it was bad or something, but you’re just pissed. You ate it, you feel fine. They ruined your work. But it’s already gone, so it doesn’t matter now. You go back to foraging. You talk with your friends. You get to know each other better.

The next day, you’re not feeling well. You feel wobbly. Your movements are jerky. Your body stops moving a few times. Whatever. You still need to work. You’ll be better tomorrow.

You’re not better tomorrow. About halfway through the day your legs stop working. You find your body jerking around, moving without you. You wrestle back control. You go home. On the way, you throw up in the marketplace. You can still see bits of fungus in it.

Days pass. You keep working. You feel awful. Nothing is working. Today your body walked you all the way to the other side of the hive on its own before you got it to work again. The ants you spent the most time with start to look ill. The ant who threw out the fungus is growing something on his carapace. They throw him out of the hive. Hopefully no one sees the spores on you yet.

The next day you wake up. Your body forces you to stand. It forces you to walk. It sends you to the most crowded part of the hive it can. You try to wrestle back control of your own limbs. If you do, you manage to drag yourself out of the hive. Your body is buried under a pile of leaves and forgotten. If you don’t, when you’re in the middle of the crowd, you feel your shell cracking. You feel the spores burst out, see the other ants breathe them in. They push you out of the tree, but by then you don’t even feel yourself hit the ground. Aching and unable to move at last, you live long enough to see three more ants tossed out of the hive before the guards who did it are forced by their limbs to do it anymore.

[cordycepsbian]

a bunch of mostly unrelated bug fables headcanons

becaudse we keep Thinking while trying to sleep

the ancient crown does not have inherent mind controlling abilities, all it does is amplify the abilities that its wearer already has. in hoaxe's case, along with his fire magic, it boosted his species' mimicry from "make everyone think you're a wasp" to "make everyone think you're the king of the wasps"

zasp comes from a mixed hive of different paper wasp species in the attic/rafters of the giant's lair, which had access to a lot of giant devices that required electricity. his old job in his hive was using his electric magic to power these devices and he left both because of the danger and he was tired of being a battery

vi thinks of "violet" as a sort of Special Sister Name that only jaune is allowed to call her, hence why jaune is the only bug to ever mention it. if anyone else called vi that she would either not respond or try to fight them, or both

ants, bees, wasps, termites, mantis, and roaches all have thumbs but everybody else has just two fingers. this is just more of an art style thing though

zombugs need to eat more than regular bugs or else the fungus will start to eat more of the host body to get its Nutrience. since leif was sort of preserved by the spiderweb and has more access to food, their body is still mostly intact, but the rest of them are more mushroomy because they can't get as much to eat

spiders are awakened, but their social structure and general life is very, very different from bugs, and they just don't care enough to think of bugs as anything other than food. the one spider in the forsaken lands is only an outlier in letting a termite teach her to write, all the others are just as intelligent but show it way differently

the hologram roach in the cave of trials is sapient and is mostly putting on a Customer Service Voice for everyone who uses the training program. when the crystal that turns the program on is removed the hologram is basically asleep, but when it's awake it can hold conversations and entertain itself with the data it stores

before becoming an explorer, leif practically lived at the ant kingdom's theater. they were a cast member of some of the first shows ever put on there and that's how they met muse! in the present day they still like to come back and help with productions when they have the time

jayde is a hornet, not a yellowjacket, and she and fuff are close siblings even though they're different species of hornet (some of the yellowjackets are different species too, there's both the common and aerial kinds in the hive)

yin chews on Everything. she's like the very hungry caterpillar if it continued to be very hungry after growing up. she will put anything in her mouth: crayons. sand. maki's sword. most of the time she chews on her own neck fluff