1.
Zombie Makers
nature’s zombie makers
—parasites that take
over the host’s brain
•Cordyceps
•Guinea worm
•Jewel wasp
•Green-banded broodsac
(image source: Goodreads)

2.
All of the videos in this presentation, in addition to a few
others, are referenced in the back matter of the book
Zombie Makers by Rebecca L. Johnson.
This presentation was created by Leigh Collazo to accompany
the Using Picture Books with Older Students series. The full
series is available at www.readerpants.net.
Please feel free to use or modify as needed.
Disclaimers:

3.
The victim…
• Bullet ant
• South & Central
America
• Very painful sting
for humans!
Image source: Wikipedia

4.
The parasite: Cordyceps…

5.
The victim:
mammals,
including
humans

6.
The parasite:
the guinea worm…
Warning—this video can be
a bit gross. It’s not too bad,
but you do not have to
watch.

7.
The guinea worm…

8.
The victim:
American cockroach

9.
The jewel wasp…

10.
The victim: amber snail

11.
Green-banded broodsac…

12.
The victim: giant gliding ant
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2008/01/ants-vid.shtml
Link to downloadable video:
Myrmeconema neotropicum (roundworm)

13.
Video direct links:
Cordyceps (slides 3-4)
Guinea worm (slides 5-7)
Jewel wasp (slides 8-9)
Green-banded broodsac (slides 10-11)
Myrmeconema neotropicum (slide 12)

14.
Images Courtesy:
Slide 3: By © Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7809995
Slide 5: By Paulmaz at the English language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=143283
Slide 8: By Gary Alpert - http://www.uos.harvard.edu/ehs/pes_american_cockroach.shtml, CC BY 2.5,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2236403
Slide 10: By Charlesjsharp - Own work, from Sharp Photography, sharpphotography, CC BY-SA 4.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37058445
Slide 12: http://scienceblogs.com/laelaps/wp-content/blogs.dir/435/files/2012/04/i-
c9f9cbac88f5587a9069e48f7230ad57-giant-gliding-ant-nematodes-thumb-500x255-52539.jpg