Emerald Cockroach Wasp

Emerald Cockroach Wasp

The Emerald Cockroach Wasp is a parasite. First, it stings its host, the cockroach in the thorax to paralyze it. Then, the second sting goes to the roach's brain to a precise spot to more permanently and thoroughly paralyze it. Then, the wasp leads the roach back to the wasp's burrow by tugging its antennae like a leash. The roach can't initiate walking on its own, because of the venom, but the actual neuromuscular circuitry that physically controls the legs is just fine, so a little tug from the wasp and the zombified cockroach follows its new master to its doom. There the wasp lays an egg in its abdomen, then its larva eats the organs in a specific way to keep the roach alive before it cocoons and leaves its body.

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Categories: Insects

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