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Bug Braaaaaaaaaains!

Discover Magazine presents an article on (and I quote) Zombie Animals and the Parasites that Control Them.

The gallery of pics includes short descriptions (with links to longer articles) of the strange abilities of certain animals to gain control of others.

Examples:

The caterpillar, still alive, behaves as though controlled by the cocooned larvae. Instead of going about its usual daily business, it stands arched over the cocoons without moving away or feeding.

The caterpillar – now effectively a zombie – stays alive until the adult wasps hatch.

Eventually, the crab begins to change into a new sort of creature, one that exists to serve the parasite. It can no longer do the things that would get in the way of Sacculina's growth. It stops molting and growing, which would funnel away energy from the parasite... and while other crabs mate and produce new generations, parasitized crabs simply go on eating and eating. They have been spayed by the parasite.

Personally, I am opposed to these behaviors. I find them completely immoral and unacceptable. Yech.

But they're definitely interesting enough to share with you.