A video which went viral in May 2014 shows a large worm slowly emerging from the stomach of a dead praying mantis.

The Video

In what begins as the standard “man spraying insect” video, we see a praying mantis being sprayed by insecticide until it dies. Almost immediately after the mantis dies, a black parasite can be seen slowly emerging from the stomach of the insect.

Watch the video below, which is titled, “Guy Kills Praying Mantis and Releases Alien Worm.”

Although some commenters have expressed doubt that the video is real, University Toronto Professor Christopher Darling said that he believed it was real.

“I am pretty sure that this is real, and not a hoax. I have seen and photographed similar things a number of times.”

Darling also stated that the worm was likely curled up tightly in the host’s abdomen. “And yes, they do look very long, but they are very skinny,” he said.

Although the video was posted in 2013, it wasn’t until May 2014 that it went viral.

Horsehair Worm

The parasite is believed to be a horsehair worm, or nematomorpha, which can grow up to 4 inches, or even up to 2 meters in extreme cases. Adult horsehair worms are not parasitic, but the larvae develop as parasites inside such hosts as grasshoppers, crickets – and, apparently, praying mantises.

Updated August 6, 2015
Originally published May 2014