Zombie Bug...What The Heck Was Going On?

[James Mulligan]

Aloha!

I just saw one of the strangest things I have ever seen in my life.  Could
someone please explain what was going on?

Crossing my driveway was what looked like a wasp-type bug, only it was a
bit thinner and a shimmering green in color.  He/She was walking backwards
while leading, by the head, a cockroach.  The cockroach was a good bit
bigger than the other bug.

The leader had the cockroach by the head, not an antenae.  The cockroach
was clearly alive and moving under it's own power.

Now here's the thing that completely tripped me out...so the leader has
the cockroach by the head, going across a relatively flat surface.  "What
will happen when they encounter an obstacle and the waspy thing lets go of
the cockroach?" I wondered.  "Will the cockroach get the hell out of
there?"

Well, they did encounter a few small obstacles, leaves, rocks, etc... but
always the contact was not broken.  Then they got to the base of a wall of
lava rock (I live in Hawai'i).  They get to the base and start to climb,
the leader still walking backwards, clamped onto the head of the
cockroach, the cockroach still moving under its own power.  Then the waspy
thing let's go!  I assumed to do some recon and find the correct
path...and the cockroach just waited!  Didn't move!  Didn't try to flee!

I was amazed and watched as this happened a number of times.  The waspy
thing would go and scout and then return to the cockroach, clamp on to his
head and move a bit more.

What was going on??? I'm assuming the waspy guy put some kind of poison
into the cockroach... but what kind of poison makes a cockroach zombie?
It was clearly alive and moving...but seemed to be lacking any sense of
self-preservation.

Please!  Someone explain what was happening!

Thanks/Mahalo!

Jim

--
"There are no problems in nature." - George Santayana

Jim Mulligan      Oahu, Hawai'i     mulliga at aloha.net
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