UBC researchers discover a wasp that turns spiders into hypnotized zombies

UBC News

This may seem like something of a nightmare before Christmas, but researchers at the University of British Columbia claim that "zombie spiders" are the real deal. Well, they are not exactly zombies, but they certainly operate in a "zombie-like" trance.

So why exactly do these scary crawlies behave so weird?

The answer is both strange and fascinating: a recently discovered wasp Zatypota puts creatures under his venomous spell. It works specifically with the social Anelosimus eximius spider by depositing an egg in the spider's abdomen. Once the egg is attached, its larvae suck the poor arachnid's life and also manipulate his mind. Essentially, it acts as a parasite.

Philippe Fernandez-Fournier is the principal author of this pioneering study and adds that, although similar behaviors have been observed in the past, this complex level has never been observed.

In addition, he adds that the wasp is relatively beautiful, but that it does the most horrible thing. Once the larva begins to "control" its host, it forces it to spin into a cocoon. After eating his host spider, the wasp emerges from the cocoon, fully developed and ready to conquer the world.