Can you identify this parasite?

Factual Questions
1

I saw a program on Discovery or TLC a few years ago, and I think the whole program was about parasites.

Here was one weird one, but I’m fuzzy on the details:

Some “bug” lays its egg in a slug, snail, or caterpillar (don’t remember which).

The “bug” grows inside it, and ends up pushing against the caterpillar’s “skin” like two big, thick, throbbing antennae.

I don’t remember whether or not it ended up killing the caterpillar or not. The one that they showed was quickly gobbled up by a bird, since the throbbing members made it stand out a lot more.

Any ideas???

2

Snails. Leucochloridium paradoxum is the parasite. I saw that show, too. Quite a startling effect on the snail. The parasite completes its life cycle in the gut of birds, and the display is essentially a big “EAT ME” sign.

Reference:

http://www.uic.edu/classes/osci/osci590/3_1%20Pathogen%20Strategy%20for%20Survival.htm

Section IV at the bottom of the page. Actually, the adult form’s eggs are excreted in the birds feces, and eaten by the snails. The parasite itself is a worm.

3

Thanks.