Comments on: Alien Body-Invader! http://dududiaries.wildlifedirect.org/2008/01/17/alien-body-invader/ Notes from the world of an insect lover Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:04:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: oluyemi tobi http://dududiaries.wildlifedirect.org/2008/01/17/alien-body-invader/#comment-69 oluyemi tobi Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:56:11 +0000 http://dududiaries.wildlifedirect.org/2008/01/17/alien-body-invader/#comment-69 u are too murch u are too murch

]]> By: Tanya - AFRICAN ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FOUNDATION http://dududiaries.wildlifedirect.org/2008/01/17/alien-body-invader/#comment-68 Tanya - AFRICAN ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FOUNDATION Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:41:22 +0000 http://dududiaries.wildlifedirect.org/2008/01/17/alien-body-invader/#comment-68 What a fascinating, yet gruesome, tale... Recently I photographed a similar story: a hornet's nest containing live caterpillars which the adult hornets had collected, and then laid eggs into...when the eggs hatched, the larva broke out of the caterpillars, thereby killing them and providing themselves with a rich, fresh food source...at least, I believe this is the case...if you can provide me with a more scientific account, or correct any of my assumptions, I'd be grateful to hear from you! I've documented the story in words and pictures on my own blog which you can read here: http://www.wildernessdiary.com/journal/2008/2/23/23rd-february-2008-a-gruesome-yet-fascinating-tale.html Thanks - this is such a great blog, by the way - Tanya http://www.aeffonline.org http://www.wildernessdiary.com What a fascinating, yet gruesome, tale… Recently I photographed a similar story: a hornet’s nest containing live caterpillars which the adult hornets had collected, and then laid eggs into…when the eggs hatched, the larva broke out of the caterpillars, thereby killing them and providing themselves with a rich, fresh food source…at least, I believe this is the case…if you can provide me with a more scientific account, or correct any of my assumptions, I’d be grateful to hear from you! I’ve documented the story in words and pictures on my own blog which you can read here: http://www.wildernessdiary.com/journal/2008/2/23/23rd-february-2008-a-gruesome-yet-fascinating-tale.html

Thanks - this is such a great blog, by the way -

Tanya

http://www.aeffonline.org
http://www.wildernessdiary.com

]]> By: Sherri S. http://dududiaries.wildlifedirect.org/2008/01/17/alien-body-invader/#comment-62 Sherri S. Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:24:35 +0000 http://dududiaries.wildlifedirect.org/2008/01/17/alien-body-invader/#comment-62 Wow! Absolutely fascinating! Wow! Absolutely fascinating!

]]> By: F. J. PECHIR http://dududiaries.wildlifedirect.org/2008/01/17/alien-body-invader/#comment-61 F. J. PECHIR Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:04:21 +0000 http://dududiaries.wildlifedirect.org/2008/01/17/alien-body-invader/#comment-61 Thank you for this interesting post! Yes, parasites are fascinating creatures, and, as you said, can change the normal behaviour of their host, and there are hundreds of examples of this in the world. Very recently was discovered that a parasitic nematode in Central and South America lives in the bird droppings that are consumed by the ant Cephalotes atratus and deposit its eggs in the abdomen of the ant, where the worms grow. This makes the ants sluggish and weak, and their abdomen become brite red instead of the normal black colour. The ants lift their abdomens in a very strange way, making birds thinking infected ants are ripe berries, eating them, and transport the worms, safely, to other place in order to spread the nematods. Thank you for this interesting post! Yes, parasites are fascinating creatures, and, as you said, can change the normal behaviour of their host, and there are hundreds of examples of this in the world. Very recently was discovered that a parasitic nematode in Central and South America lives in the bird droppings that are consumed by the ant Cephalotes atratus and deposit its eggs in the abdomen of the ant, where the worms grow. This makes the ants sluggish and weak, and their abdomen become brite red instead of the normal black colour. The ants lift their abdomens in a very strange way, making birds thinking infected ants are ripe berries, eating them, and transport the worms, safely, to other place in order to spread the nematods.

]]> By: Christine C. http://dududiaries.wildlifedirect.org/2008/01/17/alien-body-invader/#comment-60 Christine C. Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:01:59 +0000 http://dududiaries.wildlifedirect.org/2008/01/17/alien-body-invader/#comment-60 This is probably one of the most facinating (and creepy!) things I have read in a while...the parasite/rat/cat example is really amazing! This is probably one of the most facinating (and creepy!) things I have read in a while…the parasite/rat/cat example is really amazing!

]]>