our parasitized caterpillar has spent the last 12 days gorging itself it now
the last 12 days gorging itself it now
the last 12 days gorging itself it now appears profoundly obese but this is not
appears profoundly obese but this is not
appears profoundly obese but this is not all fat the glamour otter wasp larvae
all fat the glamour otter wasp larvae
all fat the glamour otter wasp larvae lie just under its skin each is the size
lie just under its skin each is the size
lie just under its skin each is the size of a grain of rice but together they
of a grain of rice but together they
of a grain of rice but together they account for over a third of the
account for over a third of the
account for over a third of the caterpillars weight the larvae have not
caterpillars weight the larvae have not
caterpillars weight the larvae have not yet finished growing and need to keep
yet finished growing and need to keep
yet finished growing and need to keep their hosts alive so although they feast
their hosts alive so although they feast
their hosts alive so although they feast on the caterpillars blood they have been
on the caterpillars blood they have been
on the caterpillars blood they have been careful not to touch a single one of its
careful not to touch a single one of its
careful not to touch a single one of its vital organs
this uneasy truce will not last within
this uneasy truce will not last within days the larvae are fully matured
for the past two weeks this surrogate
for the past two weeks this surrogate womb has protected them but now they no
womb has protected them but now they no
womb has protected them but now they no longer need it to complete the next
longer need it to complete the next
longer need it to complete the next stage of their lifecycle
stage of their lifecycle
stage of their lifecycle they must break out the caterpillars
they must break out the caterpillars
they must break out the caterpillars thick skin should be a solid barrier to
thick skin should be a solid barrier to
thick skin should be a solid barrier to the parasitic wasp larvae but as their
the parasitic wasp larvae but as their
the parasitic wasp larvae but as their bodies have grown they have developed
bodies have grown they have developed
bodies have grown they have developed tiny saw-like teeth these jagged jaws
tiny saw-like teeth these jagged jaws
tiny saw-like teeth these jagged jaws are for one job only cutting their way
are for one job only cutting their way
are for one job only cutting their way out
stroke by stroke the larvas slice
stroke by stroke the larvas slice through the tough layers of skin
at the same time they release chemicals
at the same time they release chemicals that paralyze the caterpillar
as the larvae break through there is
as the larvae break through there is nothing you can do
free at last the larvae enter a new
free at last the larvae enter a new phase of development they swiftly spin
phase of development they swiftly spin
phase of development they swiftly spin silken cocoons these will provide the
silken cocoons these will provide the
silken cocoons these will provide the perfect environment for their final
perfect environment for their final
perfect environment for their final transformation but ironically one of the
transformation but ironically one of the
transformation but ironically one of the greatest dangers the larvae will face is
greatest dangers the larvae will face is
greatest dangers the larvae will face is being themselves impregnated by other
being themselves impregnated by other
being themselves impregnated by other species of parasitic wasp incredibly the
species of parasitic wasp incredibly the
species of parasitic wasp incredibly the wounded caterpillar helps them out
usually a caterpillar would spin a
usually a caterpillar would spin a silken blanket to make its own cocoon
silken blanket to make its own cocoon
silken blanket to make its own cocoon but the parasitized caterpillar spins
but the parasitized caterpillar spins
but the parasitized caterpillar spins his blanket on top of the wasp cocoons
his blanket on top of the wasp cocoons
his blanket on top of the wasp cocoons giving them an extra layer of protection
scientists believe the same wasp virus
scientists believe the same wasp virus that infected it weeks before has now
that infected it weeks before has now
that infected it weeks before has now invaded the caterpillars brain and
invaded the caterpillars brain and
invaded the caterpillars brain and caused this bizarre corruption of its
caused this bizarre corruption of its
caused this bizarre corruption of its normal behavior amazingly the
normal behavior amazingly the
normal behavior amazingly the caterpillars natural aggression is now
caterpillars natural aggression is now
caterpillars natural aggression is now also exploited by the wasp virus
the caterpillar becomes a bodyguard
the caterpillar becomes a bodyguard actively protecting the cocoons
actively protecting the cocoons
actively protecting the cocoons from other parasites it will watch over
from other parasites it will watch over
from other parasites it will watch over them unceasingly until it eventually
them unceasingly until it eventually
them unceasingly until it eventually starves to death
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