Zombie Virus Drives Caterpillars To An Explosive Death

Halloween is just around the corner, but it seems like some members of the animal kingdom have already started playing ghoulish tricks on one another.

Scientists recently discovered something that was causing European gypsy moth caterpillars to behave very strangely. The caterpillars were infected by a deadly baculovirus, and with their last bits of strength, they did something that would be out of the question if they were healthy: they climbed out onto the very highest leaves of their tree in the middle of the day.

There, their diseased bodies split open, raining infected caterpillar guts onto the leaves and branches below. The death ritual is so bizarre, that scientists started using the term ”tree top disease” to describe the virus that caused it.

In a recent issue of Science magazine, researchers reveal the cause of this odd final act: a specific viral gene that drives infected caterpillars to die in a way that offers the best potential for spreading the virus that killed it…just like a zombie (ScienceDaily).

The virus “ends up using just about all of the caterpillar to make more virus, and there are other genes in the virus that then make the caterpillar melt. So it becomes a pool of millions of virus particles that end up dropping onto the foliage below where it can infect other moths that eat those leaves,” study co-author Kelli Hoover told National Geographic.

According to researchers, this discovery provides evidence that genetic characteristics of the host help determine a parasite’s effect on its behavior.

Because the baculovirus that causes this strange behavior only affects invertebrates, scientists think that it could be a useful tool in controlling invasive caterpillar populations like the gypsy moth.

A healthy gypsy moth caterpillar feeds at night and either hides in a tree’s bark crevices during the day or climbs down the tree to the soil to avoid predators. For the virus behind tree top disease, there is a significant advantage to a caterpillar dying in the middle of a leaf within the canopy of the tree rather than in a crevice. The dead caterpillar liquefies, releasing millions of virus particles into the environment where they can spread throughout the tree and contaminate other gypsy moth larvae. This virus is specific for the gypsy moth, and consequently will not impact any other insect, animal, or plant in the treatment area. (ScienceDaily)

The Northern Research Station and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) are partners in producing the virus for states, the National Park Service and other agencies to use to control gypsy moths.

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via HuffPo

Read more: caterpillar, invasive species, pest control, usda, virus, Zombie

Image Credit: Flickr - GollyGForce

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Past Member .

4:51PM PDT on May 4, 2012

I'm sure it won't be long before someone makes an action/horror movie about this.

send a green star

Pushpraj S.

12:40PM PDT on May 3, 2012

Where is the video!!!

Angie R.

6:33AM PDT on Apr 26, 2012

@Char- I know this is super-old, but you're thinking of Eastern Tent Caterpillars. Not Gypsy moth.

Dale O.

3:53PM PDT on Apr 17, 2012

Nasty, looks like Nature's weapon of mass destruction for this type of caterpillar! Yes, if we mess around with it the virus could mutate and affect more beneficial insects--and even if we don't mess around virus often mutate.

William S.

7:03PM PDT on Apr 15, 2012

yea I can see it now people are reported to be climbing up trees and tall buildings where they explode!...... no lets leave science out of this and let nature do what she does best and if anything make sure this virus doesn't mutate and cross over to humans! Great now I have a strong desire to watch a zombie movie!~

char l.

1:56PM PDT on Apr 15, 2012

Gypsy moths - ugh! The caterpillers overrun us every spring, blanketing trees - especially cherry trees - in their tents. They crap all over, foul the dogs' water, you can't walk without stepping on them. I wouldn't miss them if they were gone, that's for sure. BUT. Viruses mutate. Just because this one is specific to gypsy moths doesn't mean it couldn't mutate and attack some beneficial insect larvae, or even some "ornamental" insects, like the lovely Luna moths or Monarch butterflies. Using viruses is kind of unsettling, frankly.

Carolyn S.

8:34AM PDT on Apr 15, 2012

Must... climb... higher... must...

Jusemmy A.

8:21AM PDT on Apr 15, 2012

This virus might be a natural response and even the tree effected might propagate it, if the moth is invasive enough it could kill the trees. A virus is gods way Of establishing balance for both moth and tree. Remember not all caterpillars will become infected nd there will still be moths.

Carol H.

12:38PM PST on Feb 2, 2012

NO NO NO science shouldn't get involved with this because it get out of hand and this kind of thing might not stop and effect things that we DON'T want to effected and that is a fact.

Does anyone remember the Love Bugs come to Florida and see what science did with them?

Ernie M.

12:56PM PST on Jan 4, 2012

This is just wrong another case where just because Science can do something des not mean it should. What will keep this man maid or harvested gene from jumping spieces to other valuable spieces? what about when and if it makes the jump to virtibrate animals? Its time we quit trying to play god. quit killing predators and you will not have pestelance that can not be controoled. A diverse nature is this planets only hope.