
Zombie Spiders of Ireland: The Shocking Fungus That Turns Arboreal Predators into Puppets
Introduction: The Silence Before the Shiver In the echoing stillness of a stone-walled Victorian gunpowder store at Castle Espie, Northern Ireland, a small orb-weaving cave spider hung limply, as if mid-dream. A thick, snowy fuzz enveloped its body, giving it a timeless, frozen appearance. At first glance, it resembled winter frost—until you realized the creature…