Living the Sci Life
The Life & Times of Ryan J. Haupt.
Gentleman scientist, paleodetective and future time-traveler.
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Assassin Bug Carries the Ants It Has Killed
This bug looks like it’s made a killing carrying a remarkable number of dead bodies on its back to stop it becoming lunch. As this gruesome picture shows this insect has at least 20 ants on its back which according to scientists confuse potential predators like jumping spiders. The aptly named assassin bug uses the dead bodies, as a defence mechanism to fend off enemies.
Photographer Hock Ping Guek, from Malaysia, decided to document the amazing camouflage strategy using macro photography.
He said: ‘The behaviour is indeed absolutely fascinating. They prey on ants, inject enzyme into the ant preys and suck the ants dry, then put the dead bodies on their back for camouflage, most likely as a form of defence against other predator like jumping spiders…”
(read more: The Daily Mail UK)
This is so cool. Reminds me of the piles of horseflies we used to make when I was a life guard in the forest (long story).
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I will now be completing the next several steps:
1) Find this ant
B) Irradiate said ant
3) Get bit by said ant
4) Dress like Spider-Man anyways
INCREDIBLE GRAVITY DEFYING ANT CARRIES 100 TIMES ITS BODY WEIGHT
(credit Thomas Endlein, University of Cambridge)
