A parasitic worm transforms ants into walking tropical berries, new research suggests. The abdomens of infected gliding ants bulge with hundreds of microscopic nematode eggs, while the color turns from black to maroon. Afflicted ants also show off their bloated abdomens far more often than uninfected ants.
With luck, a hungry bird will mistake the ant for a fruity meal, spreading the parasites—but sacrificing the unwitting ant.