A research biologist has gone viral on TikTok after sharing the unbelievable paralysing strength of a wasp sting.
Andrew Wesley Legan posted the video on social media (@insectsevolving ) hoping to educate people about often-feared insects.
The video features an unlucky tarantula who lost a battle against a tarantula hawk wasp – having been left paralysed for 17 days.
Nursing the spider back to health, Andrew was able to observe the effects of the venom while helping the arachnid escape a horrific fate.
The clip has over 2.4m views and 155,000 likes.
“I was walking with my dog in my front yard and we found a tarantula that had been stung by a tarantula hawk wasp,” the 30-year-old, from Tucson, Arizona, told http://NeedToKnow.co.uk .
“I’m very curious about the venom of the tarantula hawk wasp because, not only is it among the most painful stings known to humankind, it also has the ability to immobilize tarantulas for months on end.
“In the wild, this venom functions to keep tarantulas unmoving but still alive, while the wasp’s larval offspring eats the spider from the inside.
“It’s like something out of a science fiction movie!
“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.
“Now, more than a month after it was stung, the tarantula is just beginning to slightly move its legs and fangs.”
The larva, which the wasp places in the spider’s abdomen, hatch after two days and feed on the animal for the next week, killing the arachnid.
Andrew said “I aim to make entertaining videos that inspire curiosity about ‘weird’ organisms, especially insects.
“I love when someone comments something like ‘Usually I’m scared of this bug, but now I want to know more!’
“Viewers begged to find out the arachnid’s fate with mixed reactions.
“The spider is going through incomprehensible horrors,” said one person.
“Its definitely alive, is legs wouldn’t bounce back like that if it wasn’t,” commented someone else. [sic]
Ruben added: “Never felt bad for a spider.”
Another viewer wrote: “Dude has a massive hangover after that t hawk juice!” [sic]
“The poor baby,” said Kylie.
Andrew reports that the tarantula began moving on day 31 but the total recovery could take up to eight months.
