Exploding Caterpillars, and Animal Parasitism

Image from the World Wide Web

The curious case of exploding animals. First, it was toads, now it's the caterpillars. I still remember when I watched and read about the exploding animals; they are toads, innards scattered, it is as if the toad swallowed a lit firecracker and eventually exploding from the inside. I was amazed, curious, and disgusted all at the same time.

Though the mystery about the exploding toads is long solved; with the cunning crows as the culprit, the exploding caterpillars is still not. It is described that scraps of caterpillar skins were scattered at some branches, the culprit is speculated as a mind-controlling virus. Mind-controlling in the animal world is more common than you think, mind-controlling parasites can range from fungus to bugs. You can read more of the exploding caterpillar here.

Image from Dr. Chris Miller

My favorite one is the Horsehair worm. The Larva of the Horsehair worm, upon infecting a specific host--In most common cases are praying mantises & crickets--it will develop and grow inside the host's gut without killing it. Now the Adult Horsehair worm lives in aquatic habitat, upon fully maturing inside, it will release a special protein affecting the hosts central nervous system, basically mind-controlling the hosts to seek water where the hosts will eventually meet its doom, the hairworm will then emerge from the host's rear and will continue his life on the water.

You can read more about the Horsehair worm here.