Fungus makes beetles die on flowers to spread spores to next generation

A fungus that infects goldenrod soldier beetles manipulates their behavior before death, causing them to clamp onto flowers, which may help spread spores to the next generation of hosts. Researchers studying Eryniopsis lampyridarum found infected beetles die attached to flower heads, then raise their wings between midnight and 7 am, roughly 15 to 22 hours after death. Outbreaks occurred in Arkansas during autumn, with a 20.2% infection rate in one 1996 sample. The fungus produces spores from the dead beetles' bodies, and their positioning on flowers likely increases contact with other beetles. The mechanism behind the pre-death gripping behavior remains unknown, though similar patterns occur in other fungal infections.