Mafia parasite makes bees dig their own graves
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It's not just humans: Even insects are subject to humiliation before death.
A new study at the University of Virginia found that conopids, which are parasitic flies that attack bees and exist in more than 800 species, force their hosts to burrow into the ground, where death awaits them.
The flies lay eggs inside their host bees, and the larva will eventually eat the bees alive, after they've built a home in the soil for the fly to develop. National Geographic reports that conopids can even attack bees in mid-flight to plant their eggs.
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Once the conopids have attacked the bees, their descent into death is quick, with most dead within two weeks. Like their human counterparts, the conopid mafia know how to get the job done.
