How do hornets turn spiders into zombies?

Biologists have found a mechanism to help corn bees can turn spiders into slaves, catching their nests.

The wasps mechanism turns spiders into zombies

A recent study from Kobe University in southern Japan identified a subspecies of wasps that could 'zombie' the spider. The slave spider will be forced to build a nest for the bee's larvae.

The scientific name bee is Reclinervellus Nielseni, which lives mainly in Australia and Japan. When it comes to breeding, they approach the spiders, like the Japanese native spider Cyclosa argenteoalba, which is bigger than the wasps.

Spawning is done right on the spider's back, after the bee injects a poison that temporarily paralyzes the prey's nervous system.

Cyclosa argenteoalba Spider

10 days after the eggs hatch, the spider starts weaving the nest to protect the larvae diligently and continuously for 10 hours. Once the nest has been completed, the bee larvae will immediately kill the victim because he / she has "exhausted its advantage".

According to Keizo Takasuka, who directly conducts the research, this is one of the most cruel prey controls .

The diligent spider weaves cocoons for larvae on the back

The researchers said that bees can control spiders thanks to a controlled chemical. This substance acts like hormones, reacts to the spider's endocrine system, causing them to act like building nests unconsciously. In particular, silk threads woven by ' zombie zombies ' are 40 times stronger than normal.

Silk is woven with zombie spiders that are 40 times stronger than normal

When the nest is completed, the larvae will immediately kill the spider, then create cocoons at the center of the nest. The victim's blood and intestines will be gradually withdrawn as nutrients.

This cruel relationship has actually been discovered long ago. However, this is the first time the ability and level of body control is clarified.

Scientists say that the discovery that spiders can enhance the ability to build cocoons when being a slave of a bee is a great success of biologists. According to researcher bee Mark Shaw: "This discovery of enhancing prey's ability to be enslaved is completely new, impressive and unexpected."

Controlling prey is not new in biology. Scientists have decoded the ant brain-controlling fungus, or the caterpillar turns into a bodyguard protecting the larvae.

Please come to the following video to see more clearly this process.