Australian Science Illustrated – Issue 51 2017

44 | SCIENCE ILLUSTRATED

ICE

Can Living Creatures Be

Turned Into Zombies?

Ladybirds, woodlice, and ants end up as zombies,

as parasites take control using viruses and chemical weapons.

I

n Game of Thrones, the White Walkers revive

the dead, converting them into an army of

zombie-like soldiers known as wights. This is

not pure imagination. In nature, you can find

lots of examples of animals which are subjected

to the full control of other creatures.

An ichneumon wasp larva can convert a

ladybird into its own personal zombie body-

guard, which helps the larva keep enemies at

bay. Another victim is the woodlouse, which

can be infected with flatworms – or parasites.

The flatworm grows inside the woodlouse, but

to complete its life cycle, it must move on to

another host: a starling. During its stay, the

flatworm makes the woodlouse ever more

careless, moving more into open and

illuminated areas than it normally would, and

in this way – against its own will – it becomes a

more visible prey to starlings.

The Orphiocodyceps fungus is particularly

sophisticated. The fungus infects ants,

excreting a powerful mixture of chemicals,

which affect the ant’s brain, making it bite.

The aim is to make the ant hold on to a leaf,

which the fungus can subsequently use as the

basis of further growth.

1 With a sting, the ichneumon

wasp "drugs" the

ladybird, before

laying eggs inside its

stlil-living body.

2 Once the egg has hatched,

the larva starts to

eat the ladybird

from within. It only

consumes parts

which are not vital

for the ladybird.

3 When the larva has

grown big, it gnaws

its way out through

the ladybird's hind

part, fastening a

silk cocoon to the

ladybird's legs.

4 The ladybird is infected with

a virus, which

paralyses it and

makes its legs jerk,

hopefully scaring

predators away.

ICHNEUMON WASP TAKES

OVER LADYBIRD BRAIN

Larva consumes ladybird from within,

taking control of its limbs.

Like other creatures, the

White Walkers take

control of the brains of

other species.

HBO NORDIC

CLAUS LUNAU & GETTY IMAGES

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