# The Wasp That Brainwashed the Caterpillar: Evolution's Most Unbelievable Solutions to Life's Biggest Problems - Hardcover

by **Matt Simon** (Author)

**"A bizarre collection of evolution tales . . . the weirder, the better." --_Entertainment Weekly_**

A fascinating exploration of the awe-inspiring, unsettling ingenuity of evolution from _Wired_ writer Matt Simon, author of ******_Plight of the Living Dead_ (coming soon from Penguin Books)******

On a barren seafloor, the pearlfish swims into the safety of a sea cucumber's anus. To find a meal, the female bolas spider releases pheromones that mimic a female moth, luring male moths into her sticky lasso web. The _Glyptapanteles_ wasp injects a caterpillar with her young, which feed on the victim, erupt out of it, then mind-control the poor (and somehow still living) schmuck into protecting them from predators.

These are among the curious critters of _The Wasp That Brainwashed the Caterpillar_, a jaunt through evolution's most unbelievable, most ingenious solutions to the problems of everyday life, from trying to get laid to finding food. Join _Wired_ science writer Matt Simon as he introduces you to the creatures that have it figured out, the ones that joust with their mustaches or choke sharks to death with snot, all in a wild struggle to survive and, of course, find true love.

**Winner of the American Library Association's Alex Award**

### Author Biography

**Matt Simon** is a science writer at _Wired_ magazine, where he specializes in zoology, particularly of the bizarre variety. He is one of just a handful of humans to witness the fabled mating ritual of the axolotl salamander, as is detailed in this here book that he suggests you buy.

**Number of Pages:** 272

**Dimensions:** 0.9 x 7.6 x 5.6 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** October 25, 2016

**Award:** Alex Awards (2017)

## Details

- **Price:** 20.0 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 20.00 USD | In stock |

## Images

- The Wasp That Brainwashed the Caterpillar: Evolution's Most Unbelievable Solutions to Life's Biggest Problems - Hardcover
- The Wasp That Brainwashed the Caterpillar: Evolution's Most Unbelievable Solutions to Life's Biggest Problems - Hardcover

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