By Fatma Younis
Around Halloween, decorations feature ghosts, vampires, zombies, and werewolves, but many real animals exhibit strikingly similar traits in nature.
Werewolf-like howling mice
The southern grasshopper mouse (Onychomys torridus) howls at the moon to defend territory and attract mates. These nocturnal rodents stand on their hind legs, point their noses upward, and produce high-pitched sounds. They are voracious carnivores, preying on scorpions, beetles, grasshoppers, and even other mice, and are immune to the venom of the bark scorpion (Centruroides sculpturatus).
Zombie-making wasps
The emerald jewel wasp (Ampulex compressa) stings cockroaches, turning them into compliant zombies. The wasp lays eggs on the immobilized cockroach; when the eggs hatch, the larvae devour the host from the inside out. The wasp also serves as a pollinator and a natural biocontrol agent for pest species.
Vampire birds
Oxpeckers (Buphagus species) were long thought to have a mutually beneficial relationship with large hoofed mammals by removing ticks. However, research shows they also pick at open wounds to consume blood and flesh, inflicting injuries, preventing healing, and increasing infection risk in their hosts.
Chemical defenses and courtship
Bombardier beetles blast predators with explosive chemicals discharged at 100°C by mixing hydroquinone and hydrogen peroxide in an internal reaction chamber. Fireflies, which are actually beetles, use luciferin and luciferase to produce a glowing light that attracts mates; their larvae feed on soft-bodied invertebrates, helping control pest populations.
Ghostly glass frogs
Glass frogs (family Centrolenidae) in the tropical forests of Central and South America are so translucent they appear ghost-like. They spend much of their lives in trees, regulating insect populations and serving as prey for other species, linking terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems.
