MARCH / APRIL 2020
BEWARE THE PARASITES OF MIND CONTROL
Extraterrestrial horror has been approached from a lot of angles over
the years, but the premise that really seems to capture our imaginations is the alien par- asite that invades by usurping our collective consciousness. With four adaptations of Inva- sion of the Body Snatchers and variations on mind-controlling alien parasites found in mov- ies such The Faculty, Slither, and The Puppet Masters, we see our deep-seated fears of lost autonomy reflected in their stories. While it’s a comfort to know that we’re unlikely to meet such a species in real life, let’s not forget that Earth has its own slew of mind-controlling parasites in the natural world; some of whom are scarier than fiction. The Hymenoepimecis argyraphaga, for in- stance, is a wasp in Costa Rica that lays its eggs into the abdomen of orb spiders. Once the larvae hatch, they release a chemical that rewires the spider’s instincts so it builds a web that can hold the weight of the wasps’ cocoon. Once the web is ready, the spider will then re- main motionless in the middle while the larvae consume it from the inside, tossing the husk aside once all the good bits have been eaten. Another wasp with hunger for its host is the
Ampulex compressa, also known as the jewel wasp, which targets cockroaches with a poi- sonous sting that paralyzes them. A second jolt to the head completely inhibits the roach’s ability to control movement, allowing the wasp to lead the creature by its antennae to a small cavern into the ground where the wasp will lay its eggs. Like the orb spider, the cockroach will become a meal for the little ones when they hatch.
Not all hosts to parasite insects wind up as food for their young: sometimes their motives are more complex but no less sinister. The Di- crocoelium dendriticum, a.k.a. the lancet liver fluke, is an organism that lives in the stomachs of grazing animals. To get there, the fluke’s eggs are eaten by snails who pass them in protective slime balls. Those slime balls are eaten by ants, at which point chemicals from the eggs compel them to crawl to the tips of grass blades, where they’re likely to be eaten by grazing animals.
Lest you think mind-altering parasites are relegated to the world of horror fiction and insect nature shows, the Toxoplasma gon- dii is a parasite found in cats’ stomachs that commonly winds up in our own systems. How commonly? Well, they’re estimated to have in-
fected half the world’s population, and while they’re generally viewed as benign, recent studies indicate they’re capable of affecting rats by turning off their natural aversion to the smell of cat urine, while other studies show a link to schizophrenia.
Ultimately, it may not be an exotic alien slug that brings the planet down to its knees… it may just be Fluffy’s litter box.
BRYAN CHRISTOPHER
MANUEL ZINGALE LOCATION: Rome, Italy
INSTAGRAM: @jinx_666
Monsters, oddities, freaks, and the dark side of the imagination are the stuff of Manuel Zingale’s tattoo portfolio. “One of my favourite clients said that I ink fears and nightmares,” says the Italian artist. “I like
this description!” Working exclusively in black and grey, Zingale’s unique creatures look like folk horror legends come to life, with horns, eyes, and teeth aplenty. If you should find yourself in Rome, do as the Ro-
HAVE A GREAT HORROR TAT? SHARE IT WITH US AT:
INFO@RUE-MORGUE.COM. 9 R M
mans do; “My favourite movie ever is Vid- eodrome and I’d love to tattoo the classic scene with Max Renn pointing his gun hand to his head in my style. It would be rad!” ANDREA SUBISSATI
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