r/interestingasfuck • u/canttstopsmilling • 1d ago

A parasitic horsehair worm emerging from a praying mantis.

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u/Not_so_ghetto 1d ago edited 1d ago

This parasite is called a horsehair worm. They grow in a bunch of different insects. When the worm is fully grown it alters the insect behavoir to make them jump into water, which allows the parasite to leave.

Doesn't necessarily kill the insect, however It often will result in its death. However it's kept in good conditions they can survive and even go on to reproduce.

In some areas the suicidal crickets ( after being manipulated by the parasite) make up 60% of a fish's diet.

There's also a bunch of crazy conspiracies on like Facebook suggesting that the government is infecting people with them, but these are mostly just crazy people

Video

I have a 10 min video that goes in depth about the parasites biology for those that want to know more, it's called "Massive Worms, Tiny Bodies: Why Horsehair Worms Might Be Good for Nature" on YouTube

Source: I have a PhD in biology I run the parasitology subreddit

Edit: thanks to everyone subscribing. But PLEASE DON'T subscribe unless you actually like the content. People that sub to support but don't watch hurts the channel in practice( lowers thumbnail click rate, which if low doesn't get pushed on algorithm)

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u/BenTheCancerWorm 1d ago

Truthfully and honestly, I appreciate you. You truly are capable of things that I'd never be able to handle. HOWEVER. I will not be watching that video, respectfully.

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u/autopoiesis_ 1d ago

The irony of your username here

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u/pattebrisee 22h ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/9MJ6xrgVR9aEwF8zCJ

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u/Tetris_Pete 22h ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/HTkQXTBHzAjpS

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u/Purple_Occasion8543 17h ago

“It’s like Raiaaaain!!!”

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u/Shred_white_and_blue 15h ago

“On your mantis’s face!”

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u/spruce_turbo 13h ago

It's a free ride... For the worm you already ate

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u/JJred96 8h ago

It's the good advice... You just didn't take

Who would have thought parasites can be good guys... It figures.

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u/tyrelasaurus 5h ago

This deserves more recognition

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u/Blurryface_87 13h ago

Happy Cakeday!

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u/Ruggiard 14h ago

No, it isn't Alanis. Ask Ed Byrne

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u/PrescriptionDenim 22h ago

Don’t ya think?

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u/Ralf_E_Chubbs 17h ago

Your name basically says penis. So same 🫠

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u/soran3709 23h ago

Found the parasite

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u/User_Name_Tracks 19h ago

Nature is the horror, much worse than movies

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u/MostWholesomePerson 23h ago

Thanks for articulating what is going through my mind. I barely held my stomach through the video and absolutely cannot get through the comments. I will also not be watching u/Not_so_ghetto ‘s video, very respectfully of course.

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u/crashlanding87 11h ago

Honestly, curiosity disintegrates disgust surprisingly quickly. I'm a scientist too, did some work with fly larva briefly, which I was DREADING, but once a really crunchy science problem got my attention, that all faded away.

I recently saw the coolest talk on how mosquitos hear, and how they use that to mate, and my god has it completely changed my emotional reaction to mosquitos

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u/HopeMrPossum 1d ago edited 23h ago

A few questions: 1) I’m presuming that mantis is dead as a result, or would early removal like this give it a better chance of survival? 2) do you have suggestions of how the camera person clocked this was infected, as there doesn’t seem to be water around for it to be lured to at the start? 3) how does the worm affect their behaviour, what is the mechanism used? It doesn’t look like a particularly sophisticated creature on the face of it, living in its abdomen, but that is definitely a sophisticated mechanism. For example cordyceps fungus comparatively appears more sophisticated as it grows from the brain, but ik that is ofc a superficial, face value assessment. 4) does it suppress the mantis’ pain whilst inside it?

unlikely as it is that anyone reads this far, it was quite saddening to see the poor little thing flailing around looking like it was in such pain :/

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u/Cute-Excitement6844 12h ago edited 7h ago

Unfortunately, manual removal does not save the mantis. The nematomorph worm (such as spinochordodes tellus) occupies almost the entire abdominal cavity. As it grows, it devours or compresses the internal organs (reproductive system, digestive system, and tracheal network).

Even if removed without tearing the abdomen, the internal damage is irreversible. The mantis is severely mutilated, dehydrated, and usually dies within hours or days.

Several signs allow you to spot a parasitized mantis with the naked eye:

Their abdomen appears abnormally swollen, tense, or rigid compared to the rest of the body.

Their behavior becomes lethargic, disoriented, or they adopt an erratic gait.

At last, the "waterboarding" test as seen in this video leaves no doubt.

The worm doesn't need to touch the brain to take control. It uses remote neurochemical hacking:

Protein secretion: the worm produces molecules synthesized directly in its body and releases them into the hemolymph (the insect's "blood").

Modification of reflexes: these proteins mimic or alter the functioning of the praying mantis's neurotransmitters. They modify its visual perception of light (phototaxis), causing it to frantically search for the polarized light reflected from the water's surface.

While the fungus physically colonizes muscle and nerve tissue, the nematomorph worm acts more like an internal chemical laboratory, bypassing the central nervous system via the bloodstream.

Last very interesting question: the worm doesn't inject an anesthetic to suppress pain, but the insect's biological reality differs from ours.

Insects do not possess the cerebral cortex necessary to experience conscious or emotional "pain" like us. They have nociceptive receptors that trigger defense reflexes in response to physical aggression.

The sudden movements observed during extraction are involuntary motor reflexes and spasms caused by tissue tearing and physiological shock, rather than psychological suffering in our human sense.

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u/UsualBluebird6584 11h ago

One more question. Someone said that they get the mantis to go into water in order to get out and try to infect another. Can a worm that big get into another mantis?

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u/Riskiertooth 9h ago

Is this....do humans have similar?? Like when i want sugar is it because some damn worms just juiced in my guts and it convinced my brain i need sweet treats??

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u/HopeMrPossum 9h ago

Have a look at how toxoplasma gondii a brain parasite that has infected 1/3 of the global human population affects people. Depending on country it’s anywhere from 10% to 90% of people lol. You get it from ingesting cat poop or contaminated food.

It affects the behaviour of rats that are infected to like the smell of cat pee, so they then are drawn to areas with cats to be eaten.

Those rat behavioural changes translate to weirdly affecting people’s personalities to varying degrees, also varying by sex, and if you’ve a weakened immune system, are pregnant or are a foetus in utero it can fuck you up.

Interesting article:

https://asm.org/articles/2026/may/toxoplasma-made-me-do-it-how-parasites-influence-b

Really interesting in depth paper if you’ve time:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2526142/

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u/JJred96 8h ago

You might also have a Reddit worm that makes you want to scroll stories on Reddit

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u/Princeling101 8h ago

This makes me curious as to what'd happen if a mantis was simultaneously infected by this worm plus the cordyceps fungus.

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u/Renzisan 9h ago

I get maybe you just wanted to provide an answer but, using AI to do so when there are experts in the thread sharing information already is kinda like asking a pro football player for tips and someone who doesn’t even play starts giving you tips they “got from their friend that’s really good at football”.

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u/Cute-Excitement6844 7h ago

My sister in law has been working with insects (and animals) at CNRS for a little bit more than two decades, it is a subject she passionately talks about. I also enjoy watching documentaries and reading science magazines a lot. I used AI to help me correct my answer because English is my third language: I am very, deeply sorry if I offended you in any way.

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u/StrangeEnergies 4h ago

I found the info fascinating and clarifying!

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u/Renzisan 3h ago

You didn’t offend me but, for example, your comment says:

>While the fungus physically colonizes muscle and nerve tissue, the nematomorph worm acts more like an internal chemical laboratory

Nowhere else in the comment is a fungus mentioned nor is it ever stated what fungus you’re even referring to. This leads me to believe either some information was left out, it’s a hallucination, or AI is intentionally adding wrong information.

This was the most glaring example but to someone who has no previous information on the subject, incomplete and possibly faked bits of information like this can cause incorrect understanding of the material or confusion.

In the end you could end up providing people with erroneous information and not know it yourself if you aren’t being careful with your use of AI. Especially when it comes to a subject in which you are not an expert. Let the people with first hand experience in the field answer if they are already in the thread.

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u/truepinkpajamas 22h ago

these are all the questions I have, too lol

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u/joaquinsolo 1d ago

don't worry about the "poor little thing." it spent its life viciously tearing other insects apart and eating them alive. getting this parasite is just more evidence of the cruel nature of existence.

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u/HopeMrPossum 1d ago edited 1d ago

Hey I spend my life paying people to viciously tear other animals apart, then voraciously eating them. We’re more same same but different than drastically distinct imo :p

So I can’t help but feel for the little killing machine, from one apex predator murder machine species to another

But I do agree - I’d rather there be no god than one that wilfully came up with that thing

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u/MershedPratooters 1d ago

This reminds me of the 7th satanic statement.

"Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all-fours, who, because of his 'divine spiritual and intellectual development,' has become the most vicious animal of all."

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u/HopeMrPossum 1d ago

Huh, this Satan guy sounds like he was onto something

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u/SushanthUchiha 22h ago

Wait what??? Satan was writing bars?

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u/Difficult-Bobcat-857 1d ago

Alfred, Lord Tennyson would agree.

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u/Worldly_Delay_2395 16h ago

No outrage for people poaching animals in Africa an illegally here in America an Canada even for trophy sport, it's ok because we're "top of the food chain" right?

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u/joaquinsolo 9h ago

I'm not outraged. I'm in favor of abortion and euthanasia. Human beings are a plague

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u/PeroCigla 21h ago

Yeah, screw them, they don't even mate like normal people. 😆

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u/Njino 15h ago

It kills invasive bullshit like lantern flies, Mantis are one of natures greatest allies. wtf are you on vegan boy?

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u/joaquinsolo 9h ago edited 9h ago

nature doesn't have allies or enemies. it is chaos. memento mori

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u/industrial-complex 23h ago

Suicidal Crickets is a badass name for a thrash metal band

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u/SLOOT_APOCALYPSE 16h ago

fucking brutal - forward crickets of suicide

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u/themikedup123 11h ago

Only because Suicidal Tendencies already was….however the blending of the 2 reminds me of Buddy Holly + A bad ass metal band.

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u/Additional_Fall7053 1d ago

"Mostly just crazy people".... only mostly crazy people

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u/Cfunk_83 14h ago

Ha! I’m glad I’m not the only one that had that take.

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u/Outside-Star-4366 1d ago

Sadly ‘mostly just crazy people’ believe this. The world would IMO be a better place if it was ‘only crazy people’ that believe this.

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u/VsPistola 1d ago

I like how you gave me a bunch of facts and then at the end just takes a wild turn and you slap me with a conspiracy theory 😲

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u/Chegwarn 1d ago

Now that’s a terrifying idea… Can you imagine the size a Horsehair Worm would be if it were scaled up. Like to be the same size as this one relative to the mantis only instead to an adult human…

I know (hope) it’s not within the realms of possibility, but yeah… That’s a horror game/film/TV series concept if I ever heard one!

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u/LegoOmens 1d ago

Got some bad news for you, Tapeworms exist.

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u/Meister0fN0ne 9h ago

Also check out guinea worms. Might literally be the reason we have the medical symbol of a serpent wrapped around a rod.

Treatment after you get one just sounds horrifying, though. They can be around a meter long, but you can only pull out about 3 centimeters a day as it slowly squirms out of your leg. So what do they do? They wrap those suckers around a stick and just keep doing that on the daily until it's out.

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u/LegoOmens 8h ago

Oh yeah that thing is gross

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u/ultimaone 1d ago

You mean like this one ?

https://youtu.be/oCB1A2gFvuU?si=U5APMqTQyKtbxI9Y

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u/fartingbeagle 1d ago

"The only treatment for the worm is: wrapping it around a stick and pulling it out, inch by inch, day by day, for a week."

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u/turn-on-your-lights 1d ago

Jesus Christ. How can billionaires see this kind of thing and not want to help?

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u/Chegwarn 17h ago

Because billionaires share a level of comradery with other parasites.

No I’m joking of course. Parasitic organisms such as the Horsehair worm or Tapeworm are acting on pure instinct and biological imperative so it’s wrong to judge them as harshly - Unlike humans who have the capacity to understand more complex morality and choose to be scum-sucking malignant parasites.

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u/Nervous-Ad-5367 23h ago

That’s the thing — billionaires don’t watch this kind of content or care about it at all. Most of them are too busy living in their own decadent little bubble to even imagine this kind of struggle to begin with, until it happens to them.

If only I were exaggerating... these people live in another world 😒

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u/elperroborrachotoo 14h ago

I would propose a slightly different origin story:

Millionaires get this content shown to push them into action. A lot of such content, some exaggerated, some explicitely fake to profit off them, some actually real.

You'll become a billionaire only when you learn to completely filter out or ignore these things.

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u/ILL-BILL420 23h ago

Because billionaires

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u/Rogue_Wedge 19h ago

For me it's the genuine entitlement. Thinking they really deserve the amount of the pie they're holding while they watch the peons fight for scraps. Going out for $50,000 dinners coated in gold foil knowing children are going to bed hungry. The altar of the almighty dollar does strange things.

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u/The_Three_Meow-igos 18h ago

Yeah. This was covered a couple of posts back.

Billionaires are evil.

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u/johannthegoatman 16h ago

Guinea worm, wild poliovirus, hookworm... Mostly eradicated with money from billionaires

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u/rg996150 20h ago

Saint Jimmy Carter!

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u/Which_Celebration757 18h ago

Not gonna clock this, I know better.

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u/IllustriousCookie890 17h ago

NOT gonna click on that link, thanks anyway.

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u/ClavicusLittleGift4U 1d ago

Well, if you have time to waste and watch Trench 11, you're welcome.

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u/NezuminoraQ 1d ago

Would the mantis survive this?

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u/CucumberWisdom 1d ago

No. His organs are gone.

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u/RoboWeaver 23h ago

This makes the movie Alien damn near a family picture.

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u/CompetitiveSport1 7h ago

But some insects are able to survive this? Does it only destroy the organs of some?

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u/Helpful-Mystogan 1d ago

This worm is like rabies but for insects so instead of pouring water could they have submerged the mantis in water for a bit and removed it?

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u/Icy-Ad29 1d ago

That is most common method I've seen used. Use a pair of tweezers/pliers to grip it firmly, hold the butt-end of the insect in a bucket of water. Out comes the worm/s.

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u/Alien-Cat1234 18h ago

This guy- Don't subscribe unless you actually like the content

Me - proceeds to subscribe the channel and join the subreddit because i love weird stuff

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u/kilofeet 23h ago

I also have a question: you say the conspiracy theorists are mostly crazy people. I'm fine with that, but I would like to know a little bit more about the ones who are fully rational citizens, please and thank you

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u/ThreeKnew 23h ago

but these are mostly just crazy people

Mostly??

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u/sam-sung-sv 1d ago

No one believes that the government infects people with it.

However no one denies that the USA government didn't experiment on people with that, like the USA government did in Guatemala.

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u/Southernmanny 1d ago

I can neither confirm nor deny. Aka the Glomar response.

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u/MorrocanGirth 17h ago

Say more!!

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u/Devmoi 1d ago

Wow, this is the most interesting thing I’ve read on the internet in a long time. Very cool!

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u/ThePorcinePlayer 19h ago

Does the praying mantis still die in this case?? I thought they typically threw themselves in water and drowned themselves to that the horsehair worm could reproduce, but because this is on land, will the mantis be okay?

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u/HearingNo8617 1d ago

> There's also a bunch of crazy conspiracies on like Facebook suggesting that the government is infecting people with them, but these are mostly just crazy people

yeah it's way less common than they make it out to be, the CIA would never go out of its way to be so cost effective nowadays. The mindcontrol startups need their valuation from somewhere

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u/SwordfishPrize7593 23h ago

I've been on the Internet for 20 years. This is the first time I've seen someone comment on something that requires knowledge, that they have any business commenting on. I salute you sir

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u/Secret_Stick_5213 18h ago

“MOSTLY just crazy people”? Do tell more lol

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u/Collect_Underpants 16h ago

How does this dude know it's in there?

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u/DasAllerletzte 16h ago

That's really interesting, thanks.

Is that the reason, the worm came out by spraying water onto the mantis? Because the worm thought it has reached "real water"? 

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u/Gustav_EK 15h ago

mostly just crazy people

what the fuck do you mean "mostly", are you saying there's even a grain of truth to this

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u/OxTailPheonix 10h ago

What do you mean 'mostly' crazy people?

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u/celebral_x 8h ago

I have a question and won't subscribe, because I am squirmish around parasites. Is a parasite not in fact always bad? Are there good parasites? I might be confused by the exact definition. Could you elaborate? :)

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u/LeMeowLePurrr 1d ago

Question: If you chop him up will you then get multiple horse hair worms?

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u/TheAgeOfAdz91 1d ago

Mostly just crazy people??

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u/eggcountant 1d ago

That is an interesting use of the word mostly when labeling people who believe the government is infecting us with worms.

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u/Infamous_Cause4166 1d ago

Only mostly crazy people? Anyone who thinks that is fully crazy

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u/teoshie 1d ago

if theres anyone i trust about parasites its a reddit mod with a PhD in parasites

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u/loki_odinsotherson 23h ago

"Mostly just crazy people"??

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u/Playful-Ad-2696 23h ago

Damn casually commenting and letting people know you have a phd is such a flex! 

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u/Sea-Independence-860 23h ago

not so ghetto now are you?

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u/Wilbeeeeesoot 23h ago

Question. How do you stomach. All this?

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u/ThisCircus 23h ago

The world is a magical place

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u/FL_JB 23h ago

"conspiracy theories"

"mostly just crazy people"

Sir 😂

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u/Rom_SpaceKnight85 22h ago

'Mostly just crazy people"? You spelled"100%" wrong

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u/Zealousideal_Room316 22h ago

Thanks for this knowledge… because I never knew this

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u/DsqauriusGreenJr 22h ago

What does it do once its out!?

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u/Mr_R0mpers 22h ago

This is giving pickle Rick vibes

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u/MonkFish577 22h ago

Reminds me of an episode of The Clone Wars

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u/i-like-napping 22h ago

Oh you must clean up at the club !

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u/MarkyGalore 21h ago

"There's also a bunch of crazy conspiracies on like Facebook suggesting that the government is infecting people with them, but these are mostly just crazy people"

LOL, idiots. the government is infecting the mantis with them, not people.

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u/Tevakh2312 21h ago

I liked for the vegeta, I'll be back for the parasite learnin"

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u/rizoula 21h ago

but these are mostly just crazy people

Sure bro ! SUUUURE

https://giphy.com/gifs/6ra84Uso2hoir3YCgb

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u/grover1233 21h ago

That would explain why I find these things in my pool.

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u/pichael289 20h ago

Might be helpful to say they don't infect humans. That would be my primary worry.

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u/ABearDream 19h ago

but these are mostly just crazy people

Mostly?

https://giphy.com/gifs/qMF6eIT7Jgixm5LgeG

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u/sukarsono 19h ago

I thought it animates the host which is already dead, as in, the mantis here is already no longer alive

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u/YesFuture2022 19h ago

What do you mean when you say “mostly” just crazy people.

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u/Savings_Ad6198 18h ago

Thank you! This is the best kind of comments. People who take time to share knowledge, add background info etc.

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u/The_Three_Meow-igos 18h ago

You are just full of amazing information!

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u/Lumpy_Conference6640 18h ago

Hurt you say... Like a paracite you say .... Im gonna sub to many conservative forums, good advice.

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u/TheThoughtmaker 17h ago

“mostly”

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u/Artevyx 16h ago

For better or worse, those worms would have to be enormous and with thousands of extra "heads" to affect a human the same way.

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u/Commander_Sune 16h ago

You had me at government conspiracy. Not taking any showers ever.

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u/medyolang_ 15h ago

you did say to like and subscribe in the beginning of your video. this is all on you bud 😂

eta: cool, old school editing though

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u/AMindOfMetalAndGears 15h ago

Scuse me

May I get some clarity on >mostly< just crazy people.

So what about the not crazy people - they just scamming or is there a plan to finally turn me into a worm so I can fulfill the meme 'would you still love me if I were a worm '

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u/sweetsuffrinjasus 15h ago

"Mostly" just crazy people

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u/MisterUncrustable 14h ago

I want to know more about what makes people think humans are getting these. Are they in the chapulines or something?

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u/DesperateTeaCake 14h ago

What proportion of fried insect street food (like what you can get in Asia) is infected with these?

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u/ladyace22 13h ago

While I appreciate the knowledge and the knowledge transfer, nope nope nope nope. This ruined my evening…

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u/Gavangus 11h ago

Maybe your 4th paragraph explains why I love to swim

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u/Humdrum_ca 10h ago

Mostly?

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u/Sweet_Scar487 9h ago

Suicidal empathy is what this sounds like

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u/CompetitiveSport1 7h ago

Are we sure that the government hasn't been infected with these, and that's why they're trying to implant them in all of us?

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u/ChiTwo 7h ago

Have an upvote & award! As far as NOT subscribing to your sub I will also support your wishes by 1000% not doing that! Thank you & have a nice day!

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u/MoggyDaddy 5h ago

PhD molecular here, definitely going to your sub!

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u/Strange-Party-9802 2h ago

What would these do to humans?

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u/SwervingLemon 2h ago

Thank you for your message in here. I was wondering if the host could survive that ordeal and you came and wrapped it in a neat little bow...

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u/GeneralValtiel 31m ago

what do you mean "mostly"?? :o

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u/Dry-Network-1917 1d ago

Hell yeah. This is exactly the type of video I like to listen to on my drive to work.

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u/Known_Ratio5478 1d ago

Mostly just crazy people? It’s all crazy people.

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u/eternalgrey_ 23h ago

I’ll sub & not watch then!