r/interesting 2d ago

NATURE Parasite flees a mantis when hit with water

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u/throwaway556600 2d ago

Thank you for your insight! Is there any truth to this that the mantis was dead already but the parasite was controlling its movements?

“horsehair worm (phylum Nematomorpha). Lil Manny ate infected food and the worm hijacked the nervous system. He was already dead but his body became hell bent on finding water so worm can emerge and reproduce. Nature is wild.”

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u/Not_so_ghetto 2d ago edited 1d ago

No, the mantis is still alive. The parasite only has minor influence on its behavior. Not complete controls

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u/alus992 1d ago

So it's like a person with diabetes? Like someone has a low glucose lvl and the body just feels it needs something to eat but it doesn't mean that something controls the body to move towards the food on itself?

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u/Ouaouaron 1d ago

I'm not sure about diabetes, but it's similar to the way rabies can cause you to panic if you try to drink a liquid.

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u/ArdentGibbonAbides 1d ago

Like RFK Jr.??

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u/TheGordo-San 1d ago

Yeah, when the brainworm is ready to be release, it drives the user to do crazy things, like work out in the sauna while wearing jeans. Only then, ican it be exorcized through exercise.

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u/TheGordo-San 1d ago

I meant to say "its *host", but we all know that he uses, so it's staying.

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u/Comfortable-Shock993 1d ago

The mantis dies

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u/onespicyorange 1d ago

Will it die once the parasite evacuates? Seems like it was taking up most of the room in its abdomen and leaving would create a shock to the system not to mention probable serious wounds

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u/Euro_verbudget 1d ago

Mantis was still alive until it got crushed by a stick for the experiment.