According to Alexopoulos and Mims, infected flies generally die within about a week from the time of infection. After the fly dies, single spores are produced at the tips of sporogenous cells, and forcibly discharged away from the fly. These spores are apparently coated in a mucilaginous substance so they cling to whatever surface they land on. If a new fly comes in contact with a spore, it will germinate and infect that fly. According to this text, spores that don’t land on a suitable substrate can germinate to form a new sporophore with a new spore at it’s tip. These secondary spores are then forcibly discharged! This can happen 3 or 4 times until the protoplasm is used up!! MEGA COOL!!
Reference: Alexopoulos, CJ. & Mims, CW. Introductory Mycology, Third Edition. John Wiley & Sons: New York. 1979.
