Infected caterpillar

Caterpillar of the moth Thyrinteina leucocerae host of the parasitoid wasp Glyptapanteles which can change the behavior of the catterpilar to protect the pupae. A parasitized caterpillar, bent over the parasitoid pupae that have egressed from it, defends itself and the parasitoid pupae against a predator with violent head-swings, resulting in the predator being knocked off the twig.
Suplementary material of the article "Grosman AH, Janssen A, de Brito EF, Cordeiro EG, Colares F, et al. (2008) Parasitoid Increases Survival of Its Pupae by Inducing Hosts to Fight Predators. PLoS ONE 3(6): e2276. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0002276"
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0002276#s5

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• parasite
• caterpilar
• behavior
• zombie
• alien

[celophysis5454545]

Poor lady bug, probably thinking WHAT IN THE FUCKING HELL IS GOING ON JIM!!!!!

[Iamcompassion]

lmao. the caterpillar was like oh no you didn't mutha fuckaa!

[lorax444]

@thewizardofzoz Do you have a reference for that? My understanding is that all the wasp larvae exit the caterpillar in this case. What you're describing sounds like what liver fluke worms do to ants. (I tried to post a link but YouTube won't let me... if you're interested, go to the blog called "BugTracks" and check out the post called "Mind Control."

[IvyLULZ]

that's not a zombie. IT'S POSSESSED.

[123toyboyz]

what the heck

[0neofthem]

wtf this is crazy

[thewizardofzoz]

@lorax444 the theory behind that is that a few larvae remain inside the caterpillar and modify the behavior of the caterpillar. they die with the host, sacrifice themselves so that their kin may live

[lorax444]

Not quite -- the parasites have left the caterpillar and are pupating in all those cocoons that are attached to the twig. But somehow before exiting the caterpillar they were able to "program" it to defend them from predators while they are in this vulnerable state.

[NORE2323]

The caterpillar is actually infected by a parasite. The parasite is using the caterpillar's body as a storage to harbour parasitoid larvae. Inside, they are controlling the behavior of the catepillar and defending it from potential prey. The caterpillar is instructed to move chaotically brush off prey (i.e. ladybug). The Catepillar will eventually die before adulthood, but its just enough time for the parasite and parasitoids to live and find new hosts.

Thx, DTG - UTM 2009

[cabledude907]

i think the pillar was once raped by a lady bug. it happened to a friend of mine and he totally hates lady bugs now.

[JamesTBond007]

lol "DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME!!!!"

[paperluigi64]

What the hell is wrong with it??