STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
We next report on a newly discovered species of wasp. It now has an official name. The name is Ampulex Dementor. The wasps are named after the soul-sucking Dementor characters from the Harry Potter books, which is an appropriate choice.
Like the Dementors, these wasps are able to control their prey - in this case, cockroaches; not witches or wizards. The wasps do their tricks by injecting a toxin. A cockroach then becomes submissive, and follows the wasp to its burrow to be eaten.
Just for the record, Harry Potter, in his battle with Dementors, came out a little better. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
