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Thursday, June 3, 2010

An orchard spider with parasitoid wasp grub!

Just a short clip from the amazing "Life In The Undergrowth - 01".

An orchard spider is shown enduring a parasitic wasp grub, which injects its host with a hormone that deranges it and halts the spinning of webs. The grub then sucks the liquid from the spider's body and uses the remaining silk to form its cocoon.



You can read about this amazing DVD and how it was made here on Wikipedia.

More parasitoidism:

A heavily parasited caterpillar. You can see grub movement in the animation.
caterpillar with parasitoid grub and pupae 55

A parasitoid wasp ovipositing on a autumn leaf butterfly caterpillar
A parasitoid wasp ovipositing on a autumn leaf butterfly caterpillarIMG_7583 copy

A parasitoid wasp waiting to parasitize the eggs of these tortoise beetles.
Mating Tortoise beetles and parasitoid wasp..IMG_0407 copy

Two parasitoid wasps on the egg sac of a spitting spider.
Two parasitoid wasps on the egg sac of a spitting spider. IMG_0261 copy

Giant tropical ant, Camponotus gigas under attack by parasitoid Phoridae flies.
Camponotus gigas under attack by parasitoid  Phoridae flies...DSC_1403 copy

Two parasitoid wasps on a leaf beetle
Two parasitoid wasps on a leaf beetle (IMG_4280 copy)



Highly recommended: