From the very long time, scientists were working out for understanding the relation between jewel wasp, scientifically known as Ampulex compressed and the household cockroaches, whose scientific name is Periplaneta Americana. After a research of a long time, now a shocking relation has been discovered between these two creatures.
According to The Washington Post, there is a report from the World Wildlife Fund, which says that the jewel wasp can easily turn the household cockroaches into 'passive zombies'. These wasps can control the mind of the cockroach after they inject venom directly into the brain of the cockroach. This secret behind this is that the wasps captivate the abilities which lie in a neurotransmitter called Octopamine present in the cockroach's brain.
Octopamine is responsible for controlling the movements of the cockroach but when the venom is injected into the brain, the jewel wasp can control that part. The wasp's venom obstructs the Octopamine, truly changing over the cockroach into a zombie. This "zombie" cockroach is totally not able to battle back as it is pulled by the wasp into its underground refuge.
Scientific American reported that there is also a weird part about the conversion of cockroaches into zombies by jewel wasp. The weird part is that the cockroach plays the role of a surrogate mother. It is so because the wasp lays an egg on the cockroach's belly, and the hatchling later incubates and eats the live cockroach from back to front. It takes 3 or 4 days for the hatchling to bring forth, after which it gradually feeds on the cockroach's interior organs, keeping it alive the entire time.
This procedure takes around 7-8 days, amid which the meat should be crisp for the hatchling. What's more, in light of the fact that a dead cockroach spoils inside a day, the jewel wasp inclines toward the "stun" strategy. Once the cockroach is eaten up totally and it becomes dead, the hatchling shapes a cocoon inside it. A completely developed wasp rises up out of the cockroach remains after a month.
Jewel wasps are normally found in the tropical regions of Africa, India as well as the Pacific Islands. In a single mating session, the female wasp has the ability for producing a large number of fertilized eggs which can be placed on dozens of cockroaches. Scientists have conducted several experiments to understand the process in a better way and have known that Octopamine in cockroaches in very similar to noradrenaline in the humans.
