What is going on here?

Question

http://thatvideosite.com/video/3742

I'm also aware of the caption in the video but I didn't think it was true. Could a parasite really make a cricket kill itself?

Answer 1

A cricket with a parasitic mind controlling worm commits suicide.
**after your update**
Why not? Lots of things can cause your brain to malfunction. Check out the link below for 'mind controlling' parasites.

Answer 2

What you see coming out of the grasshopper is a "hairworm" - formerly a parasite that has lived inside the grasshopper for quite some time until it needs to seek water to continue its lifecycle and reproduce. As you can see in the video, the worm actually gets pretty big in size (compared to the grasshopper), and you can imagine it expands through most of the grasshopper's cavity. The way flatworms get into the grasshoppers in the first place probably happens when grasshoppers drink infested water, which contains these parasites.
The craziest thing about this, though, is the suicide part. It turns out that it's not the grasshopper committing suicide because of pain or depression. It is actually the worm who triggers the effect. The worms secrete certain proteins that the grasshopper also produces (1). The proteins sent out by the worms manage to control the central nervous system of the grasshopper's, thus causing it to seek water for the worm to leave out of its body. So, yes, the parasite does make the grasshopper commit suicide, which is pretty damn disturbing... makes me think twice before drinking tap water, lol


[I found a couple of websites that were helpful for my answer, but I think the one I cited as my source was the best. It really answered my question, too (which was the same as yours)
I hope my answer is good, though :)]