Several videos with accompanying descriptions can be found published in eLife.
Here are some additional videos which have not been published, but I thought would be fun to share:
This male courted and began mating with a female fly as she was dying of the fungal infection. It’s unclear if the female was receptive or if the male took advantage of the female’s incapacitated state. In any event, he is now stuck to her via his genitalia (presumably due to fungal growths emanating from her genitalia). I’ve seen this happen only a few times since I started working with E. muscae, but I’m usually not quick enough to grab a camera and start recording.
This is a video I took of the bait from which I captured E. muscae in my backyard, back in late summer 2015. (The zombies have been removed.) I was impressed that there were so many kinds of Drosophilids hanging out in my neighborhood, and honored that they chose to dine on my rotten fruit.
Photos
I have an ample collection of fungus and fly pictures. Here are a few of my favorites.
E. muscae-killed fruit flies attached to a wooden dowel
Melanization on eye isn’t a pupil, it’s a scar from a place where fungus entered the fly.
E. muscae-killed fruit fly stuck via proboscis to wooden dowel. Fly is also attached via the gripping legs.
E. muscae-killed fruit fly
E. muscae-killed fruit fly stuck via proboscis to the flug (cotton vial closure). Flug was removed before picture was taken, hence it’s upright instead of downward orientation.
Cadaver on right is laying egg
E. muscae-killed fruit flies on a flug.
E. muscae-cadaver adhered to vial side by proboscis. Several spores have shot off from cadaver, leaving a “halo” around the fly body.
E. muscae-cadaver adhered to vial side by proboscis.
E. muscae-cadaver adhered to vial side by proboscis. The blurry dots are fly leavings.
A surviving male fly is stuck via genitalia to a female cadaver. Mating began when the female was still alive, but struggling. The attachment of the flies is mediated by fungal “glue”.
E. muscae-killed fruit fly sporulating onto an agar plate. Fungal growth out through the intersegmental membranes give a banded appearance.
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E. muscae-killed fruit fly sporulating onto an agar plate. Fungal growth out through the intersegmental membranes give a banded appearance.
Living flies that had previously been exposed to E. muscae. Fly in middle right has melanization on eye, indicating a point of entry by fungus during exposure.
Lots of flies killed by E. muscae
Lots of flies killed by E. muscae
Lots of flies killed by E. muscae
Lots of flies killed by E. muscae
Secondary spores germinating in vaseline.
Spore (primary conidium) giving rise to secondary conidium (mulligan spore). Once formed, the secondary conidium can fire for another chance at infecting a new host.
E. muscae culture grown in vitro
E. muscae grown in vitro and stained for DNA via Hoechst 33342 (blue).
