Zombie horror series The Last of Us might feel a little more real after you learn about a fungus that infects cave spiders and turns them into "zombie" arachnids.

A new zombie pathogen has been discovered in Ireland. This insidious fungus infects cave spiders and alters their behavior to help spread its spores to new victims.

Researchers have found a new species of fungi that infects spiders turning them into 'zombies' in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

A new species of parasitic fungus has been discovered turning orb-weaving spiders into zombies in the British Isles.

Scientists identified a new fungus, Gibellula attenboroughii, infecting cave spiders in Ireland. The fungus manipulates spider behavior, resembling "zombie-ant fungi." Dr. Harry Evans, Emeritus Fellow at CAB International,

Dr Harry Evans, Emeritus Fellow at CAB International, led scientists – including from the Natural History Museum of Denmark and Royal Botanical Gardens Kew – in a study to investigate the identity of a fungus found on a spider during filming of the BBC Winterwatch series in Northern Ireland.

A new species of fungus discovered in British and Irish caves turns spiders into “zombies,” forcing them to leave their hiding spots and move into the open before killing them. Named after famed naturalist Sir David Attenborough,

A new fungus, Gibellula attenboroughii, was discovered on spiders in Irish caves. It changes their behavior, similar to zombie-ant fungi.

It's the stuff of nightmares - or even the hit TV show and video game The Last of Us: a novel fungus that turns its hosts into "zombies". Thankfully, so far, it's only been found in spiders located in several cave systems across the island of Ireland, including the Whitefathers' Caves on the Fermanagh/Cavan border.

A novel fungus that turns its hosts into 'zombies' has been found in spiders in the White Father's Caves between Cavan and Fermanagh.