Researcher raises botflies under his skin I NOVA I PBS

"I know it sounds weird, but I felt an almost father-child relationship with this organism that was growing in my body," the entomologist says.

Digital Producer
Michael Rivera

WHAT'S LIVING IN YOU?
Written, Produced, and Directed by
Peter Yost

© WGBH Educational Foundation 2018

[TheUsshue]

I'm impressed that they actually prevent your wound from rotting or you feeling the pain.

[moonkandiie]

That's the most toxic father-son relationship I've seen in a _while_

[fyodorzack]

Him: "What a fantastic chance for me to document it"
me: "CUT THE LEG CUT THE LEG"

[karolinegodoy]

If I had one of these I would cut it out of my skin, just cut a chunk out, rather than have that thing growing in there 🤮

[xxxxxx-munn]

This is both gross but fascinating. I have a question, he says that botflies produce antibiotics and pain killers, so is there any medical information that we have learned from these little buggers?

[celiajessiman]

This actually is super interesting, but no way would I purposely grow parasites on myself for no good reason

[alyctus]

"I had this initial reaction of SLIGHT revulsion."
I had the initial reaction of strong revulsion just by watching it...

[JetSetDiva]

Have to say, that's a hard nope for me.

[acebeariously]

Imagine having so many of these that their combined painkiller-secretions just completely trip you up.

[headbanger]

Some may say, “Oh wow! He’s a real man, a brave man.” No. He’s a scientist, a real scientist. Respect! ✊

[kittytrill]

I've just watched an episode of the TV show Bones where their entemologist did the same. Amazing to see it happened in the real world too!

[denaa]

His reaction to the larvae is very interesting. Back in 2014 I got pretty sick after a trip to a tropical country. Went to a holistic doctor and found out I had a roundworm parasite (likely more than one). I was so disgusted and felt truly violated...but than I started thinking it was also kind of cool that I was hosting another living being. So I named him Ronald the Roundworm. He eventually got an eviction notice...but I'd like to think we had something special.

[gromester]

Him to his wife: “HA! Take that, baby! You’re not the only one who can give birth!”

[ckim]

So men can finally understand how it feels to create life. We are truly in 2020 now.

[LemonLadyRecords]

Not just Central and S. America, they were a huge horse problem for me in Oklahoma and Texas. The flies themselves also lay eggs on the horses (I didn't know mosquitoes were a vector!). Usually on the chest and inner legs. The eggs are brownish orange. The flies are easy to keep off yourself as they are big and hover in a characteristic way as they try to jump in to drop an egg. Thus easy to swat away and they get discouraged easily and go away, which is an evolutionary advantage. I was never bitten by one, in all my years of dodging them, tg, eeeesh. If they aren't bothered and you don't keep enough fly spray on your horse, they can lay probably 50-100 eggs on the chest, very quickly. The glue they use to secure the eggs is about as strong as super glue. You can buy special scrapers for bot fly eggs or you can just use cheap shaving razors, as you have to cut the horse's hair above the egg, rather than pulling the egg off, which is nearly impossible. I have spent countless hours shaving bot fly eggs off of my horses!

[mercedeswalt]

This dude’s so metal! I know I’ve read about a scientist who did this for his research, once!

[Zageron]

This is simultaneously extremely gross and insanely cool. :O

[jmcsquared]

I've never yeeted my computer screen over a thumbnail until today. Thanks.

[actsismmljcorrectlyobeyed]

For some people just being alive isn't enough.

[Memes_U.]

I just removed one a few minutes ago. I was horrified as I didn’t know I had a parasite living under my skin. It’s not comfortable but it wasn’t that painful though.