D. dendriticum eggs are passed in the feces and eaten by land snails. The eggs hatch and develop into immature forms in the snail. The snail makes and passes slime balls that contain many of these immature forms. The slime balls stick to vegetation and are considered a delicacy by ants. When the immature forms are ingested by an ant, the infective forms develops in the ant's intestines.
Infected ants act a bit peculiar.
Instead of going to bed at night, they remain attached to the tips of grass to pass the evening hours. These ants are much more likely to be eaten by early morning grazers. When eaten, the infective forms penetrate the intestine of the animal and migrate to the bile ducts. Unless there are large numbers of flukes, there are generally few signs of infestation . If large numbers are present, cirrhosis can develop along with anemia and emaciation.