A Wasp Mom’s Gift: Blankets of Bacteria | I Contain Multitudes

You don’t want to be a honeybee when the beewolf is on the prowl.
This aptly named wasp stings a honeybee and drags its paralyzed body into her burrow to become food for her offspring. But that’s not the only gift the mother beewolf gives her young. In this episode, Ed talks to Martin Kaltenpoth about something strange he found inside the mother beewolf’s antennae-a paste packed with bacteria called Streptomyces. Martin was perplexed: “It was amazing to see. Streptomyces! ...Streptomyces is well known in antibiotic production. We use it for human medicine as well.” Ed and Martin discuss what a beewolf is doing with this antibacterial goo, and what exactly would go wrong if she didn’t have access to it.
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[@jaedenvanderberg3890]

I just got your book and can't wait to finish the one I'm currently on to read it!

[@dacisky]

I'm really enjoying your series and am indeed curious about my microbiome since it's not exactly pristine.

[@gametrashstuff2312]

At 0:45 he mentions a waltz. The background music is also a waltz, surprisingly enough.

[@chickentendiessa]

why doesnt he have more subscribers

[@uknowbass]

Speak for yourself, I’m clean 😂

[@nokm2006]

So gobsmaked!

[@tristanwegner]

bacteria inheritance. I predict we will find many more examples, if we look.

[@louisemmett2066]

yer the boyz

[@jimisru]

But not all humans have children, nor want to have children. Therefore, passing microbes along in other ways, (through recreational or romantic sex for instance, ) might provide some benefit to self and community.