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Researchers believe that the wasp chews off the antenna to replenish fluids or possibly to regulate the amount of venom because too much could kill and too litt
by po 16y ago
Researchers believe that the wasp chews off the antenna to replenish fluids or possibly to regulate the amount of venom because too much could kill and too little would let the victim recover before the larva has grown.
I don't understand either of those explanations. Do roach antenna have fluids in them? How does chopping off antenna regulate venom which is already in the roach's brain? Does anyone get this part?
- po 16y agoOK this video (which is quite good) seems to answer it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-p_4mp-RtA&p=E330837E95B3725D http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-p_4mp-RtA&p=E330837E95B... The clipped antenna leaks roach blood. Now I'm off to bed for some sweet nightmares.
- mokchuk_ 16y agoWasps are amazing creatures. well over 100,000 species of them are parasites. Here's another complex insect parasite video involving caterpillars that stowaway in ants nests and the wasps that lay eggs in them, from Attenborough's Life in the Undergrowth BBC series: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCo2uCLXvhk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCo2uCLXvhk Also other species hijack acorns growth to lay offspring within, and are then in turn preyed upon by other wasps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzXccvoJThI&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzXccvoJThI&NR=1