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Parasitic Wasp Larvae Enslaves Spider Host

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C

cameron

Member
From a recently published paper in The Journal of Experimental Biology.

Some wasps have unpleasant habits. Hijacking an unsuspecting insect or spider, parasitic wasps incapacitate their hapless victims by taking control of their nervous systems and turning them into zombies. Once the wasp has its victim in its clutches, it deposits its egg on or within the victim’s body, ready for the next generation to develop. Keizo Takasuka from Kobe University, Japan, explains that one particular wasp, Reclinervellus nielseni, turns its spider targets (Cyclosa argenteoalba) into drugged navvys whose final act is to construct a tough ‘cocoon’ web from the original orb web to protect the developing wasp pupa after the spider’s death.
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Analysing the cocoon webs, Takasuka was struck by their similarity to the resting webs, complete with fluffy decorative structures. And when Takasuka analysed the spiders’ behaviour as they constructed the cocoon webs over a 10 h period, he saw that the manipulated spiders always constructed the new web on the site of the old orb web, painstakingly removing the sticky spiral first, then reinforcing the radial and frame threads and then adding the fibrous web decorations. And, when the web was complete and the wasp larva done with its spider slave, the larva directed the spider to return to the hub of the web before murdering it.
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http://neurosciencenews.com/parasitic-wasp-spider-zombie-2375/

Video: "Manipulated spider forced to express fibrous decoration"
U8X12rY.gif


Video: "Sequence of web manipulation of Cyclosa argenteoalba"
vIop1jw.gif


NSFL Video: "Parasitoid sucking its host spider dry and weaving a cocoon on the web"
 
N

nicanica

Member
When it comes to things like this, I'm more inclined to believe in Intelligent Design. Behavior such as this doesn't evolve over time.

I propose that Satan himself forged this creature from the nightmares of dying children.
 
L

Lunar15

Member
Wasps vs. Spiders.

Whoever wins, we lose.

Also, that's some straight up supervillian shit. How in the world does an animal get and learn how to use that ability? It's nuts.
 
G

Goliath

Member
bobbychalkers said:
That poor poor spider.....The only things we need to kill with fire are wasps.
1zA2M.jpg
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I remember watching a documentary showing a few wasps decimating a hive full of bees. The poor bees didn't stand a chance. The wasps just cut the bees in halves witch created a huge pile of bee pieces at the bottom of the hive.
 
N

NoblesseOblige

Banned
Lunar15 said:
Wasps vs. Spiders.

Whoever wins, we lose.
Click to expand...

Could you imagine if they were capable of breeding to form hybrids?

Goliath said:
I remember watching a documentary showing a few wasps decimating a hive full of bees. The poor bees didn't stand a chance. The wasps just cut the bees in halves witch created a huge pile of bee pieces at the bottom of the hive.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDSf3Kshq1M

Also some bees surround the hornets and create heat with their bodies (friction I think) to cook the hornets alive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6m40W1s0Wc

No sound at work so I can't confirm by listening.
 
V

Vyrance

Member
When I was riding my bike a couple months back a wasp decided to hitch a ride on my leg for about 15 minutes. Didn't get stung, but entire time I felt like I was held hostage.
 
C

CTLance

Member
It's fascinating how these tiny insects have the capability to correctly identify which ganglions in the hosts to sting at which point.

Watching stuff about emerald wasps really made me appreciate just how tiny of a target they are striking, and how precise they need to be so as to not kill their prey outright. Takes a lot of finesse even on a stationary target, but when the other side isn't keen on the concept and is fighting back ferociously it's quite a marvellous feat.
 
R

Ricky Ricardo

Member
Vyrance said:
When I was riding my bike a couple months back a wasp decided to hitch a ride on my leg for about 15 minutes. Didn't get stung, but entire time I felt like I was held hostage.
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I swear I was stung on a bike ride a couple of weeks ago by a wasp.

They are evil creatures and I have NO sympathy for their lives.
 
Chuckie

Chuckie

Member
Wasps.... really all of them are fucked up.

There's another wasp, the Jewel wasp who does something similar.
First she stings to temporarily paralyze a cockroach, then she stings for the second time to block his escape reflexes, making him a zombie.
She then proceeds to cut off half of his antenna's, lead him to a small hole, leaves an egg in the stomach and closes up the hole with pebbles.

The larva will eat the roach from inside, but eats the organs in such an order the roach stays alive until the larva enters the pupal stays. After that a full grown wasp emerges from the cold corpse of the roach.

12-13384Blarge.jpeg
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