Inner Nature: Parasitoids
By Vidya Rajan, Columnist, The Times
Beekeepers need no homily on the awesomeness of insects, nor do picknickers need one on the annoyance of midges, mosquitoes and ants and yellowjackets. These well-known insects make up only a small fraction known insects. To put numbers in context, a figure compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species lists numbers...
Inner Nature: Parasitic control of host behavior
By Vidya Rajan, Columnist, The Times
We act, we think, rationally. But our thoughts are subject to manipulation: by new ideas, new experiences, psychoactive drugs, and … parasites.
Parasites are organisms that take up residence in a host, and then proceed to use the host’s energy to replicate themselves and spread. If the host is killed as part of the process, then the parasite must find some...
