Bibliograph

The wasp that brainwashed the caterpillar, evolution's most unbelievable solutions to life's biggest problems, Matt Simon ; illustrated by Vladimir Stankovic

Type

Label

The wasp that brainwashed the caterpillar, evolution's most unbelievable solutions to life's biggest problems, Matt Simon ; illustrated by Vladimir Stankovic

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (pages 243-260)

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

no index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

The wasp that brainwashed the caterpillar

Nature of contents

bibliography

Responsibility statement

Matt Simon ; illustrated by Vladimir Stankovic

Sub title

evolution's most unbelievable solutions to life's biggest problems

Summary

On a barren seafloor, the pearlfish swims into the safety of a sea cucumber's anus. To find a meal, the female bolas spider releases pheromones that mimic a female moth, luring male moths into her sticky lasso web. The Glyptapanteles wasp injects a caterpillar with her young, which feed on the victim, erupt out of it, then mind-control the poor (and somehow still living) schmuck into protecting them from predators. These are among the curious critters of The Wasp That Brainwashed the Caterpillar, a jaunt through evolution's most unbelievable, most ingenious solutions to the problems of everyday life, from trying to get laid to finding food. Join Wired science writer Matt Simon as he introduces you to the creatures that have it figured out, the ones that joust with their mustaches or choke sharks to death with snot, all in a wild struggle to survive and, of course, find true love

Table Of Contents

You absolutely must get laid -- You can't find a babysitter -- You need a place to crash -- You live in a crummy neighborhood -- Turns out getting eaten is bad for survival -- It turns out not eating is also bad for survival -- You can't let them get away that easily, can you?

Classification