Grisly new book reveals what zombie insects can teach us
A Succinea snail that has been infected by a zombifying parasiteshutterstock/JoostP
Rise of the Zombie Bugs
Mindy WeisbergerA snail, eyestalks pulsing with coloured stripes, leaves the safety of the shade and oozes its way onto an exposed leaf, where it catches the beady eye of a bird. The larger animal mistakes those eyestalks for delicious caterpillars and pounces; in the process, it accidentally gobbles up the parasitic worms infesting the Succinea putris snail.
This poor mollusc is far from alone: worms, wasps and other creatures that manipulate their hosts’ behaviour are common in the…
#grisly #new #book #reveals #what
Grisly new book reveals what zombie insects can teach us
A Succinea snail that has been infected by a zombifying parasiteshutterstock/JoostP
Rise of the Zombie Bugs
Mindy WeisbergerA snail, eyestalks pulsing with coloured stripes, leaves the safety of the shade and oozes its way onto an exposed leaf, where it catches the beady eye of a bird. The larger animal mistakes those eyestalks for delicious caterpillars and pounces; in the process, it accidentally gobbles up the parasitic worms infesting the Succinea putris snail.
This poor mollusc is far from alone: worms, wasps and other creatures that manipulate their hosts’ behaviour are common in the…
#grisly #new #book #reveals #what