Raising maggots in the body for research

Entomologist Piotr Naskrecki does not hesitate to let buffalo larvae live in his own body, considering it an opportunity to experience the feeling of "feeding" a living creature.

Piotr Naskrecki is Harvard entomologist, USA. He was bitten by mosquitoes during his trip to Belize, Central America, last summer. When he returned, he found three wounds that were still uninterrupted, but not the usual form of mosquito bites, but home to buffalo fly larvae.

This picture illustrates the development stages of a buffalo fly.(Photo: Piotr Naskrecki)

According to Piotr, this is a living parasite, unable to bite or bite, but relying on a mosquito bite to lay eggs in the host. Fly eggs hatch into maggots (fly larvae), developing small spines that adhere to the surrounding skin.

Naskrecki used a suction device to get maggots out, but decided to keep some of his body to "feed" and study."I think being a man, this is the only chance to create a living creature from the blood of flesh," Mirror said he explained.

After two months, the larvae enter the appropriate stage to be ready to "appear". This is also when Naskrecki begins to feel the wriggling movements and wriggles inside. However, this process is not painful because buffalo larvae can secrete analgesics.

The larvae are removed from Naskrecki's body and the holes they leave are left for 48 hours. After 6 weeks, adult flies were born.

"I don't think this process is terrifying or strange. It's simply a way of documenting an interesting creature , " Naskrecki said.