Imagine having the skill to do brain surgery without any tools. How easy would it be to incapacitate someone, make them willing to do what you want (be easily led), and slow down their heart and bodily systems so that they can live a long time without food or water? It sounds like wild science fiction, but, in fact, the entomology kingdom is stranger than fiction.
The Ampulex compressa Parasitic Wasp
The Ampulex Compressa Wasp uses this unique technique for survival. They wasp will land on a roach and sting the brain. The roach goes into a trancelike state. It is alive, yet willing to cooperate with the wasp.
Since the wasp cannot lift or move the roach, it simply grabs the roach antennae and leads it into the wasp burrow.
The wasp then lays eggs on the underbelly of the roach. Since the roach metabolism is slowed way down from the brain sting, the roach will live until the eggs hatch. When the eggs hatch, they eat the live roach. Sounds gross, but it is fascinating.
The other interesting fact is that humans have not been able to reproduce the effect that the wasp has on the roach. Humans have been able to slow down a roaches metabolism, but not nearly as efficiently and long lasting as the parasitic wasp does it. Somehow, years of evolution work fantastically and work even better than human experimentation. Since I don't particularly love roaches, I am somewhat appreciative to this little wasp for killing some roaches.
For more interesting facts, please visit Roach Killer or another favorite outdoor site called Outdoor Showers
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristy_Snow
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