Look at this picture of the final stage, after the 'stalk' sprouts from the ants head. Pretty haunting.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Ophiocor...
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Ophiocor...
It is like watching the Alien scene, except this is real.
Imagining A Bug's Life or Antz could have been far less family-friendly if a couple of these spores made an appearance.
Like pitcher plants? Or spiders? Yikes!
But then you see what a determined column of army ants can do to a frickin' horse, and you feel less bad about mother nature's ruthless biowarfare striving to keep them in check.
No wonder insects and swarms are the inspiration for so much horror-y sci-fi