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February 16, 2012

Parasitic Wasp No Match for Drunk Fruit Fly

Jennifer Welsh, MSNBC


AP Photo

Fruit flies can apparently out-drink Frank the Tank and not get sick from alcohol poisoning. Now researchers have found this fraternity-party ability may save flies from a gory death.

The results showed that drunk fruit-fly larvae turned the tables by killing wasp parasites in their bloodstream, essentially causing the parasite's organs to drain from its anus, the researchers found.

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TAGGED: wasps, fruit fly, alcohol

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