Category: Insects
Speaker: Ian Taylor
Tags: worldview, devotional, creation science, christian radio, creation moments, ian taylor, biblical proof, today’s creation moment, wasp
While a particular species of tropical spider is spinning its web, the female of a species of tropical wasp swoops in and paralyzes the spider with her sting. She then lays a single egg on the spider’s abdomen. The spider eventually wakes up, apparently none the worse, and continues spinning her web normally for the next week or so. That’s when the wasp egg hatches and the wasp larva begin to suck juices from the spider. The larva continues to grow until it is ready to spin its cocoon. At this point, the larva causes the spider to spin a twisted tent-like web instead of its normal web. When the protective tent is completed, the larva kills the spider and eats it. Then it spins its own cocoon under the protection of the tent.
Researchers wanted to find out if the wasp larva was actually causing the abnormal spider behavior. When freshly hatched larva were removed from the spider, the spider continued spinning normal webs. Researchers also removed the larva after the spider was induced to spin a tent. It spun tents for several days before going back to its regular web style.
How would a wasp evolve the ability to reprogram the spider’s natural behavior to its needs? This relationship was designed by our Creator Who wishes to transform us into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Romans 12:2a “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind....”
Prayer: Lord, help me to be conformed to Your image rather than the world’s. Amen.
Ref: Science News, “Wasp redesigns web of doomed spider.” Image: Ichneumonidae wasp 03459, Vengolis, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.