'Alien-Like' Creature Emerges From Corpse Of Praying Mantis

*WARNING: YOU MIGHT WANNA PUT YOUR SPAGHETTI DOWN BEFORE WATCHING THIS*

Footage shows a quite frankly repulsive 'alien-like' creature emerging from the corpse of a praying mantis. Watch here, if you've got the stomach for it:

The footage - which was shared by Reddit user @jediwithanm4, under the apt caption 'Better call the Men in Black' - starts with a man cutting the backend of the deceased insect.

As he pulls back, several long black tentacles start slithering their way out of the bug, much to the amazement of the viewer.

The seemingly endless worms continue to make their way out of the insect and by the end they're almost twice as long as their host.

Unsurprisingly, the Reddit community was grossed out by the clip, which drew thousands of comments.

One user wrote: "I hated every single second of that."

Another joked: "Alright, who went to Antarctica and brought back The Thing? Be honest."

A third revealed: "This was uncomfortable to watch while pooping."

Yeah it's not a great poo watch, is it? Though I suppose it might give you a sense of gratitude that no such beast is wriggling out of your rectum.

Some people chimed in to offer an explanation of this wicked sight, with one person stating that those alien-like things are actually 'horsehair worms'. And they're just as gross as they sound.

"They're pretty common parasites in insects," they wrote. "But now that their host was apparently murdered, they're trying to escape to more verdant spineless pastures."

This person is absolutely correct - horsehair worms are obligate parasites, which means they can't complete their life cycle without a host, such as a praying mantis.

These grim parasites start out as larvae in the gut of small insects, which are then eaten by the likes of this praying mantis, which was oblivious to its horrific fate. Once they are ingested, they start to grow.

When they are fully matured, the worms emit proteins that take over the host's nervous system and force the mantis to jump into water. The worms then break free to reproduce - leaving the poor green insect as an empty husk.

If you're religious, horsehair worms must surely have you reassessing your faith. Who in their right mind would put two of these on the arc?

Featured Image Credit: The Jedi Guy/Reddit

Topics: Viral, Community, Reddit, Weird, Animals

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey