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Wasps are boring and sometimes painful for us, but they are an even bigger problem for insects. A particularly frightening new discovery by insect researchers reveals that a recently discovered wasp species in the Amazon essentially zombies spiders.
The research, published in Ecological Entomology, describes how the macabre life cycle of the wasp species relies on "social" spiders living in groups. Spiders first act as hosts for parasitic larvae and possibly as a complete meal.
The researchers closely observed the bizarre relationship of wasps with spiders. First of all, a wasp woman targets one of the spiders and lays an egg on the arachnid. Then, when the egg hatches, the larva attaches to the spider and feeds on it. This type of parasitic relationship is not unusual in insects, but the wasp pushes things further.
The larva does not leave the spider after growing to a certain extent but supports the spider's body, forcing it to perform specific tasks. The spider is forced to leave his colony and build a canvas cocoon. The larva then eats the spider and uses the newly constructed cocoon as a place of residence to become an adult wasp and start the cycle again.
"The wasp completely diverts the behavior and brain of the spider and makes it do something it would never do, like leaving its nest and turning on a completely different structure," said Samantha Straus, co-author of the 'study. "It's very dangerous for these little spiders."
The team does not explain very well how the wasp commands the spider to do what it wants, but thinks it might be related to the larva that affects the spider's hormones. It is very strange and, if you are a spider, downright horrible.
Source of the image: Philippe Fernandez-Fournier
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