Excruciating wasp sting leaves Tarantula paralysed for more than a month; video leaves viewers astonished
Tarantula hawk wasp
A biologist from the University of Arizona has captured the attention of netizens and social media with videos showcasing the paralysing effects of a spider wasp's sting.
The videos, which were shared on the short video application TikTok, have left viewers both fascinated and horrified.
Science fiction or reality!
The videos were shared by Andrew Wesley Legan, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Arizona entomology department in Tucson.
"It's like something out of a science fiction movie!" he said. The videos showcase the 'insane' knockout power the sting of this insect holds.
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As per the New York Post, the videos have amassed millions of views on TikTok.
Something out of a horror flick
The spider wasp or tarantula hawk wasp is known for paralysing its namesake with its sting. The excruciating sting, which scores a mind-numbing 4 on the Schmidt Pain Index, paralyses its victim, and then afterwards, the insect lays eggs on the incapacitated tarantula.
In time, the larvae burst out of the victim's body and feed on the still-living spider, a scene that is reminiscent of scenes from the 1979 horror film "Alien."
"I collected the tarantula after it was stung, but before the wasp laid an egg, so I've had the opportunity to observe the tarantula's recovery," said the biologist.
Long path to recovery
The biologist reports encountering a tarantula that had fallen victim to the wasp's sting. Curious about the exact duration of this paralysis that is supposed to last for months, Legan brought the tarantula home.
Thirty-eight days after the sting, the tarantula finally showed signs of life, taking "groggy steps like a baby deer learning to walk", reports New York Post.
Legan's videos have sparked mixed reactions from theaudience.While some were sympathetic towards the tarantula's plight, expressing feelings of pity for the immobilised creature, others marvelled at the unique insight into the effects of the wasp's sting.
(With inputs from agencies)
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