Inventing a story like the liver fluke

Small flukes (Dicrocoelium lanceolatum) have invented one of the most original development cycles of all parasites: They lay their eggs in the liver of sheep and the eggs, once in the droppings, are eaten by snails. The eggs then develop into larvae and then, released from the snails, are eaten by ants in whose nervous systems they encyst. The muscles of the ants' mandibles are then paralyzed and the helpless ants remain planted on the blades of grass that they were eating. The sheep will then eat the grass and therefore the ants and therefore small flukes! More information on the small liver fluke on Wikipedia...

Why not also introduce students to the blob (Physarum polycephalum), neither plant, nor animal, nor fungus, capable of moving, without a brain but with memory. Consult a CNRS article on Physarum polycephalum...

Or the immortal jellyfish (Turritopsis nutricula), capable of renewing its cells like other jellyfish, but also capable of reversing its aging process indefinitely. More information on Turritopsis nutricula on Wikipedia...

Did you know that mayflies only live a few hours but are considered the oldest winged insects on the planet?

Now it's time for the children's imagination!