i have a favorite parasite

Parasites may exploit their hosts, forcing them to behave in ways that do not benefit the hosts (or their genetic relatives). For example, the parasitic fluke (flukes are small, flattened, worm-like animals) Dicrocoelium dendriticum, or Lancet Fluke, lives in sheep, but uses ants as an intermediate host (in order to get from one sheep to another).
LA-Lancet fluke
Ants normally avoid being eaten by sheep, staying in the soil. However, an ant infected with Dicrocoelium changes its behavior. Once inside the brain, the parasite literally turns the ant into a zombie ant, that is, a member of the undead. The parasite basically kills the ant and reanimates it in full control of its brain and hence all of its bodily functions. Once the parasite possesses the ant it causes it to perform behavioral patterns uncommon to the ant’s usual behavior
LA=Lancet FLUKE
The normal armies of the normal ants file back to their colony after a long day's work in the hot sun, but those who partook of the parasite slime? They uncharacteristically break ranks to wander away in a daze. Acting out the demands of the unwelcome guests lodged in its head, an infected ant penetrates the jungle of foliage and selects a random blade of grass. It clambers up the long, thin leaf and crawls out to the tip, where it obeys a powerful urge to secure itself in position with its clamp-like mandibles.
LA=Lancet Fluke
Each dangling, stupefied ant-zombie remains paralyzed on its perch throughout the night. When the light and warmth of dawn reappear, the compromised insect comes to its senses and climbs back down to return home. During the day it rejoins its working comrades as though nothing happened; but as evening approaches, and temperatures cool, the parasitic flukes will once again urge their host to venture alone into the wilderness. A new blade of grass is selected and scaled, and the ant once again positions itself upon the tip. This bizarre modified existence continues until one day the dangling insect is sucked into the jaws of a beast.

Dicrocoelium dendriticum give me hope that I have, perhaps, NOT DONE LOST MY MIND. Who KNOWS what kinda' sinister mind controlling parasites the billionaire club has invested in?

I mean, jeez, the shit that I get up to at night? It is exactly as if I am a zombie ant and I am just crawling up that blade of grass to be eaten alive. ( Well, “alive” is subjective, at this point…we have already established our half-dead status, haven’t we, girls)

The zombie ants and me=the same!
We don’t know what the fuck happened, except when night falls…we know enough to brainlessly march straight inta' the dangerzone, bad news, trouble situation, night after night after night.

C’mon…who put a Fluke in my bottle of Patron?

love-zombie ant jem gf