She Had An Itchy Scalp. When They Discovered Why, I Was Appalled

#1 Bot fly Larvae

Bot fly is a parasitic insect. The botfly uses "vector hosts" to carry its eggs and thus transport their larvae to another location, effectively spreading its species.

#2 The parasitic botfly lays its eggs in "vector hosts' — including humans!

A nuisance to mammals like cows or horses, they're notorious for laying their eggs on the skin of their victims. Recognizing the warmth of a body, the larvae hatch and then burrow deep underneath the skin. Being the true parasites that they are, they feed off their host and continue to grow, while not killing it.

Though it's not as common, botflies have been known to use humans as vector hosts.

#3 The woman in this video is one example of this.

Returning from a trip to Belize, she found that an itchy bite on her scalp actually turned out to be a botfly larvae.

#4 First they try to remove it using a Bottle filled with smoke.

#5 After attempting to remove the parasite via smoke, she and her husband eventually use a piece of tape.

#6 Taping over the insect's breathing hole effectively forces it to come to the surface due to suffocation.

#7 Upon which Vanessa's husband removes it.

#8 The result is absolutely gut-wrenching.

#9 Watch World's Weirdest - Larva Removed from a Girl's Scalp