BUDDY EXPLAINER on Instagram: "Credits: Please DM for attribution or takedown. The video shows a green praying mantis gently lowered into water with tweezers, after which a long horsehair worm (Chordodes formosanus) slowly emerges from its abdomen over about 20 seconds. This is a natural reproductive exit triggered by water exposure, not a forced removal. Scientific research, including a 2024 Scientific American report, explains that these worms manipulate the host’s nervous system, pushing it t

The identity of the parasite that turns the ultimate loathsome praying mantis into a zombie.

Formosan subterranean termite, soldier POV (Coptotermes formosanus) #aistory #cinematicpov #fireant

Ankush Kumar on Instagram: "🪱 The Parasite That Controls the Mind of Praying Mantis! 🧠 💡Imagine a parasite that can literally control the behavior of its host! The "Chordodes formosanus" or HorseHair parasitic worm takes control of the praying mantis to ensure its own survival. Here’s how it works: ✅ Step 1: The worm larvae burrow into the mantis's abdomen, gradually taking control of its nervous system. 🧠 ✅ Step 2: The parasite manipulates the mantis’s behavior, compelling it to leap into w