Wasps: the zombie masters

Many wasps paralyse caterpillars or spiders, lay their eggs in them, and seal them alive as ready-to-eat meals for their larvae once they hatch.  The larvae of a wasp known only by its scientific name Reclinervellus nielseni, makes the orb-weaver spider spin a special web for their own cocoons. The wasp climbs up spider’s web and pretends to be helplessly caught. Once the spider unsuspectingly approaches close enough to its “meal,” the wasp wrestles the spider. It lays an egg, glues it to the arachnid’s body, and flies way. The spider’s fate is sealed. Once the worm-like larva hatches, it drills a hole into the spider’s abdomen and feeds off its body fluids. The spider continues its normal life even though it is saddled with a worm. When the wasp larva is ready to pupate, it manipulates the spider to weave a web to hold its cocoon. The larvae bid their hosts to strengthen the structural threads of the web by repeatedly laying more and more silk. The spiders work an average 10 hours at night to build the web hammocks for their masters. They suck their spiders dry and chuck the carcasses away. Almost immediately, the larvae build themselves a cocoon, by producing silk of their own.

http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/deltabc-1.983313/blog-wasps-the-zombie-masters-1.2033800

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