Emerald Cockroach Wasp (Ampulex compressa) larva, attached to American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana) host
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Emerald Cockroach Wasp (Ampulex compressa) larva, attached to American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana) host
Emerald Cockroach Wasp (Ampulex compressa) larva, attached to American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana) host, South Asia, Africa and Pacific Islands (controlled conditions)
FLPA images of Wildlife and nature
Media ID 9673027
© FLPA/Emanuele Biggi
American Ampulicidae Cockroach Cockroaches Egg Host Entomophagous Host Hosts Jewel Wasp Larva Larvae Parasite Parasites Parasitic Parasitising Parasitized Parasitizing Parastised Periplaneta Americana Solitary Stung Victim Victims Wasp Wasps Zombie Zombies Zombification Zombified Eats Feeds
Nature's Bizarre Duo - The Emerald Cockroach Wasp and its Zombie Host
EDITORS COMMENTS
. In this snapshot, we witness a truly extraordinary partnership between two unlikely creatures. Meet the Emerald Cockroach Wasp (Ampulex compressa) larva and its unsuspecting American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana) host. Hailing from South Asia, Africa, and the Pacific Islands, these fascinating insects engage in a parasitic dance that would make even the most daring horror movie director envious. The wasp larvae attach themselves to their cockroach victims, injecting them with a venomous sting that leaves them in an eerie state of zombification. As if straight out of a sci-fi flick, the paralyzed roach becomes nothing more than a helpless pawn for its captor. The cunning larva feeds on its living host while avoiding vital organs to keep it alive as long as possible - talk about macabre dining habits! This bizarre behavior showcases nature's intricate web of survival strategies. While it may seem gruesome to us humans, this symbiotic relationship ensures the wasp larvae have ample nourishment until they eventually emerge as fully grown wasps. So next time you spot an American Cockroach scuttling across your kitchen floor or hear tales of zombie-like insects lurking in tropical regions around the world, remember this incredible image captured by FLPA photographer Emanuele Biggi – proof that truth can be stranger than fiction!
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