In the first half of 2019, we talked about the existence of parasitic wasps that are able to turn tropical spiders into "zombies" and use their bodies to create durable cobweb shelters. These parasitic creatures are the so-called Ichneumonoidea, and this group of insects is considered one of the most extensive in the world. According to scientists, it includes about 80 thousand species, most of which have not yet been studied. However, recently, scientists have managed to find and describe at least one and a half dozen wasps of the genus Acrotaphus, living in the humid forests of the Amazon and the Andes mountain system, located in South America.
The discovery of scientists was told in a publication called Metro. Until now, the scientific community was aware of the existence of only 11 species of the ichneumon wasp Acrotaphus. Recently, however, a group of Brazilian insect entomologists have conducted several expeditions to the Amazon jungle as well as the mountain forests of the Andes. Having traveled across the expanses of South America, they managed to discover 15 more species of parasitic wasps and expand their knowledge of these unusual parasites.
The Andes are considered one of the longest mountain systems on Earth.
Wasps can turn spiders into "zombies"
According to the head of the expedition, Ilari Sääksjärvi, the wasps they found can grow up to 10 centimeters in length and are predominantly brightly colored. Basically, their victims are tropical spiders, since their bodies contain many nutrients for parasitic wasp larvae. In addition, by controlling the brain of spiders, the larvae can create for themselves a strong and safe cocoon of cobwebs, inside which they can safely grow.
First of all, parasitic wasps lay their eggs on the backs of tropical spiders. Over time, these eggs hatch into larvae, which inject a hormone called ecdysone into the bodies of arthropods. This substance causes spiders to shed and to protect their bodies, they begin to create a shell of a particularly durable type of web. But in the end, this protective shell becomes a home for the larvae of parasitic wasps, which mercilessly eat the insides of the spider.
Promotional video:
What other organisms can control the thinking of animals?
All of the above looks like a scene from a horror movie, doesn't it? But the parasitic wasps Acrotaphus are not the only animals capable of turning their victims into "zombies." For example, our planet is inhabited by flatworms known as paradoxical leucochloridium (Leucochloridium paradoxum). They are able to penetrate into the organisms of snails and prevent them from hiding in the shade from birds hunting them. As a consequence, birds of passerine species quickly find snails and eat them. And parasitic worms need this - they multiply in the gastrointestinal tract of birds and are transmitted to other individuals through feces.
You can look at a snail infected with a parasitic worm in the video above. Looks extremely creepy, doesn't it? So if you are tired of horror movies, you may well switch to watching documentaries about insects. Believe me, some of the scenes give you goosebumps.
Author: Ramis Ganiev
