Scientists in San Francisco have finally proven that zombies exist. Zombie bees, that is. Biologists have discovered that the honeybee population has been infected by a parasite that essentially turns the poor bees into the flying dead. Delirious and suicidal, the bees are disoriented and clueless -- the infection makes them leave the hive at night and fly into outside lights, which kills them.
I don't think I've ever used a "ZOMG" before, but ZOMG, there are zombie bees.
It's pretty incredible, isn't it, that a parasite can wreak so much havoc on our beloved bee population. The enemy at hand is a fly that lays eggs in the bees (say what?), and when the maggots hatch, they make the bee go mad. I'm hoping these little buggers do not like the human flesh because I'm sorry, if I go insane and start heading out in the middle of the night to stare at street lamps, I'm going to be pretty pissed. Damn you, flies!
It's too early to tell, but researchers think that this infection may have something to do with the shocking disappearance of the honeybee. It's been a mystery as to why their population has decreased in droves over the years, and this new discovery certainly enables a theory or two.
I hope these mind-controlling flies leave our bees alone. As everyone knows, the honeybee is an important part of our eco-system and to think that they're out there being turned into kamikaze zombies is hard to hear.
So shoo, flies, don't buzz around here no more. We want to be zombie bee free in 2012.
Zombies. Bees. Discuss.
Photo via biggernoise/Flickr
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Check out the documentary series, I'm sure everyone has heard of it, Planet Earth (http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Earth-Complete-David-Attenborough/dp/B000MR9D5E/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1325747149&sr=1-1 ) They cover fungithat do the same thing to several different insects, each insect has a specific variety that effects them. Once the insect is infected by the spoors, the fungus takes control of its brain and makes it crawl up a plant (to the specific height best suited for the new spoors to burst from) and makes the insect hold on as tightly to the plant as possible, then die.
Then the new fungus grows through the head and uses the body for energy. When ejects its spoors out to infect an other passing insect...Its one of the only things in existence that creeps me out a bit...But its fascinating for sure!