Watch the cockroach 'hit karate' on the bee's face to avoid being turned into 'zombie'

Cockroaches have a species of natural enemies, which are parasitic bees. But the natural world cannot always be stereotyped.

Cockroaches, if you leave out the vigorous survival and unconditional fertility, then it is just a weak bug.

We humans can easily handle a cockroach with just one kick (of course when it doesn't fly). Cats can also hunt cockroaches. But even smaller insects can kill cockroaches - typically parasitic bees.

Parasitic bees - like American emerald bees - are extremely annoying enemies for cockroaches. They possess a powerful neurotoxin, which can paralyze the brain of cockroaches, then lay eggs in the prey.

Since then, cockroaches will lose control of themselves, walking silently while being forced to bring bee's eggs in their bodies. They turn into real zombie cockroaches, until the bee larvae hatch and feed the cockroach from inside.

However, nature is not always stereotyped. Deer and wild cattle sometimes even die lion, so cockroaches also have their own self-defense mechanism. And according to a recent report by experts from Vanderbilt University (USA), cockroach defense by . karate .

Biologist Ken Catania was the one who recorded the cockroach defense. It was a very strong "steer driving" kick (temporarily known as backward sweeping stone) , sweeping the bee's face, which was approaching "acquaintance".

" Cockroaches have a position that allows it to react to parasitic bees , I call it ready," Catania said.

"In this position, cockroaches can move its" antennae antennae "towards the bee, thereby knowing what is approaching, and then aiming for a powerful sweeping kick at the enemy's head. This is a really effective kick. "

"Like martial arts actors often do that".

In fact, cockroach defense has been recorded in the past. However, this is the first time that research has really deepened its effectiveness.

To get this result, experts performed an experiment in which the bee approached the cockroach. The fantasy is dead, but immediately performs a powerful kick and escapes.

However, Catania commented, this mechanism of resistance is only 63% effective for adult cockroaches. With young cockroaches, they don't have any chance, but 100% of the individuals participating in the experiment are turned into zombies.

This mechanism of resistance is only 63% effective for adult cockroaches.

But more importantly, the bees themselves recognize the defense mechanism of adult cockroaches. Therefore, they always aim for small cockroaches with poor defensive ability, just as natural selection criteria are "strong and weak".

For bees, when caught, they are not easily removed. Two antennae will be bitten off, then the bee will punch a hole in the body of the cockroach, lay eggs in it, and the cockroach is now sure of death.

The study was published in Brain, Behavior and Evolution magazine.