Your post is the first time I have heard 'behavior modifying' used in conjunction with pest control! (Remember, I'm a psyche major! :-D)
December 04, 2010
Joris said...
Adult men climbing on the roof and sticking their but into the air. I've seen this behavior before although I think beer was involved not fungus. But we can always blame the yeast.
Ahhhh, behavioural modification by yeast - it tastes so good... however, the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii can affect us mighty humans and is on the list to write about...
Oh Ugly Overload, you fuel my hope for the zompocalypse. :p
December 05, 2010
Anonymous said...
toxoplasma gondii causes behavior modification in animals including humans. It accesses the nervous system and messes with reaction time and can decrease fearfulness while increasing risk taking behavior. Its a parasite carried by cats.
How people are turned into zombies in Haiti (which is illegal ;))
Also, toxoplasmosis as mentioned by anonymous is good stuff: http://healthguide.howstuffworks.com/toxoplasmosis-dictionary.htm
December 12, 2010
There has been a rise in our fascination in zombie fiction and movies lately. I think such tales strike a deep chord in our psyche. But for much of the animal kingdom, such tales aren't fanciful. They're an everyday occurrence. Take this poor yellow dung fly (Scathophagia stercoraria). It's been infected by a previously unknown (yet to be described) species of Entomophthora fungus. This parasite fungus causes its host to climb up a grass blade, stick it wings out, and position itself so that its abdomen is in the air, and then die. All of this is accomplished so the fungus' spores are better dispersed. [Image]
I'm assuming that zombification (a new word?) is more readily found in the insect kingdom because their nervous systems are more easily hijacked than those of higher order animals. Nevertheless, I've purchased a large supply of fungicide, and my wife has instructions to spray me down should she find me climbing up to the roof to stick my butt in the air. Thanks for the fantastic photo, Dave. It's entomologists like you that show us how ugly and fascinating this world can be. I'm glad to be human.
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December 04, 2010
Your post is the first time I have heard 'behavior modifying' used in conjunction with pest control! (Remember, I'm a psyche major! :-D)
December 04, 2010
Adult men climbing on the roof and sticking their but into the air. I've seen this behavior before although I think beer was involved not fungus. But we can always blame the yeast.
December 05, 2010
Ahhhh, behavioural modification by yeast - it tastes so good... however, the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii can affect us mighty humans and is on the list to write about...
December 05, 2010
Oh Ugly Overload, you fuel my hope for the zompocalypse. :p
December 05, 2010
toxoplasma gondii causes behavior modification in animals including humans. It accesses the nervous system and messes with reaction time and can decrease fearfulness while increasing risk taking behavior. Its a parasite carried by cats.
December 05, 2010
Speaking of zombification, this might be interesting to you guys:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/strange-creatures/zombie1.htm
How people are turned into zombies in Haiti (which is illegal ;))
Also, toxoplasmosis as mentioned by anonymous is good stuff:
http://healthguide.howstuffworks.com/toxoplasmosis-dictionary.htm
December 12, 2010