Parasitizes Collection

Bonnet Mould (Spinellus fusiger) hair-like sporangiophore threads, growing from gills of parasitised fungus, Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire, England, September

Western Green Lizard (Lacerta bilineata) adult, close-up of skin with two ticks attached, Italy

Fungus (Clavicipitaceae sp. ) fruiting bodies, emerging from dead parasitized troglophile moth
Fungus (Clavicipitaceae sp.) fruiting bodies, emerging from dead parasitized troglophile moth, Grotta delle Vene (Veins Cave), Ormea, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy, january

Sac Fungus (Cordyceps sp. ) fruiting bodies emerging from dead parasitized Spider (Ctenidae sp. ), Manu Road
Sac Fungus (Cordyceps sp.) fruiting bodies emerging from dead parasitized Spider (Ctenidae sp.), Manu Road, Departemento Cuzco, Andes, Peru

Leech (Hirudinea sp. ) adult, parasitizing Atlantic Stream Crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) underwater, Italy
Leech (Hirudinea sp.) adult, parasitizing Atlantic Stream Crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) underwater, Italy

Ichneumon Wasp (Ichneumonoidea sp. ) cocoons, on fritillary butterfly larva, Causse de Gramat, Massif Central, Lot
Ichneumon Wasp (Ichneumonoidea sp.) cocoons, on fritillary butterfly larva, Causse de Gramat, Massif Central, Lot, France, may

Sac Fungus (Cordyceps tuberculata) fruiting bodies emerged from dead parasitized moth, Manu Road, Departemento Cuzco, Andes, Peru

Dance Fly (Empis tessellata) adult, fallen victim to Pathogenic Fungus (Entomophthora muscae) that enters brain and causes it to land, climb to the top of bush and die

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Parasitism in Nature: A Hidden World of Interdependence and Survival From the depths of the Lembeh Straits in Sulawesi, the Shorthead Sabretooth Blenny (Petroscirtes breviceps) bears the weight of an unwelcome guest - a parasite clinging to its head. In another corner of the world, the Bonnet Mould (Spinellus fusiger) threads its hair-like sporangiophore threads through the gills of its unsuspecting fungus host. The Western Green Lizard (Lacerta bilineata) roams the Italian countryside, unaware of the two ticks that have latched onto its skin. Meanwhile, high in the Andes of Peru, the Sac Fungus (Cordyceps sp.) emerges from the lifeless bodies of various insects and arachnids, including a spider (Ctenidae sp.) and a troglophile moth. Under the waters of Italy, the Atlantic Stream Crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) becomes a host to a leech (Hirudinea sp.), while the Fritillary Butterfly larva is encased in the protective cocoon of an Ichneumon Wasp (Ichneumonoidea sp.) in the Massif Central of France. In the Amazonian rainforest of Peru, the Sac Fungus (Cordyceps tuberculata) takes over the body of a moth, and the Dance Fly (Empis tessellata) falls victim to the pathogenic fungus Entomophthora muscae, which ultimately causes it to climb to the top of a bush and die, spreading its spores through the wind. Parasitism is a complex and intricate part of the natural world, with hosts and parasites locked in a delicate dance of survival. Each interaction represents a unique adaptation, a hidden layer of complexity, and a testament to the resilience and tenacity of life.