The Horror Of Nature: Zombie Caterpillar Bodyguards
Posted by Ross Rosenberg
A research team in Brazil studying moths, the caterpillars of which feed on leaves of the native guava tree and on an exotic eucalyptus, noticed that they were sometimes attacked by parasitoid wasps, which would insert up to 80 eggs into them. The infected caterpillar continues going about its normal routine, while inside the eggs hatch and begin to feed on its precious bodily fluids. All of this is fairly par for the course, as far as parasite/host relationships go, however, what happened when the larvae have matured came as a bit of a surprise:
When the parasitoid larvae are full-grown, they emerge together through the host’s skin, and start pupating nearby. Unlike many other combinations of host and parasitoid, the host remains alive but displays spectacular changes in its behaviour: it stops feeding and remains close to the parasitoid pupae. Moreover, it defends the parasitoid pupae against approaching predators with violent head-swings.
When the parasitoids emerge from their pupae state the caterpillar dies; having lived a life being leeched of its vital juices and later turned into a zombie bodyguard.
Parasitoid Turns Its Host Into A Bodyguard [Science Daily] : Neatorama
Categories: Rail, Parasites, Zombies, Nature, Horror
Posted at 10:23 am on June 10, 2008
13 Comments -
I know this probably isn’t the place for it but what happened to ectochat?
Comment by corben — June 10, 2008 @ 10:39 am
It’s working fine for me.
Comment by Ross Rosenberg — June 10, 2008 @ 10:45 am
If you’re using the web chat, try grabbing a proper IRC client.
Also, nature is fucking terrifying, can we pave it yet?
Comment by chesh — June 10, 2008 @ 11:01 am
Ah parasites…….what a wonderful idea they were
-Aza
Comment by LordAzathoth — June 10, 2008 @ 3:32 pm
This post fills me full of hate.
Comment by eltiburo — June 10, 2008 @ 4:56 pm
Totally one-upped the mind control antics of Spinochordodes tellinii. Take that, hair worm.
No paving nature Chesh, it’s not all mind controlled zombie body guards! I’m sure somewhere there’s a cool looking bug that will refrain from using your organs for food or jamming itself up your urethra.
Comment by Narkalant — June 10, 2008 @ 5:00 pm
That’s…that’s uhh…certainly fascinating, yes. 0_o
Comment by Brett — June 10, 2008 @ 6:22 pm
Okay, that’s awesome.
Comment by Kingfisher — June 10, 2008 @ 7:57 pm
Nature is pretty effed up.
Comment by Evil Jim — June 10, 2008 @ 8:41 pm
Note to self: Avoid wasps.
Comment by scott — June 10, 2008 @ 10:40 pm
Oh man, I can’t get enough of you folks and your nutty fucked up bug tidbits.
Comment by Charlie — June 10, 2008 @ 11:42 pm
My reaction to reading this was several seconds of silence, followed by a wide grin and a cry of “now that’s jus’ cool!” Because let’s face it, parasite-controlled zombie bodyguards should be too awesome to exist in the real world… but thanks to Mother Nature, they aren’t.
Comment by Robert — June 11, 2008 @ 2:02 pm
I think I had a birthday party that went like this once…
Comment by Moo-Sama — June 16, 2008 @ 8:15 pm