By WEB DESK: Strawberry lovers, brace yourselves! While these vibrant red fruits may seem like a picture-perfect addition to your healthy diet, a recent viral video on social media might make you think twice before taking a bite.
Prepare to be both amazed and slightly grossed out as we dive into the world of strawberries under the microscope.
The video, shared by Fred DiBiase on X (formerly Twitter), has sent shockwaves through the fruit-loving community. In the one-minute clip, a brave soul takes on the task of inspecting a seemingly innocent strawberry under the lens of a microscope. But what they find is nothing short of a tiny horror show – a close-up reveals a bustling metropolis of tiny insects making themselves at home on the surface of the fruit, with a few adventurous worms wriggling out from within.
Let’s look at a strawberry under a telescope.
Must Watch👇🏽👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/GRcekqbH0v
— 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀𝗲 ① (@FredDiBiase247) April 1, 2024
“Let’s look at a strawberry under a telescope,” reads the caption, inviting viewers on a journey they never knew they needed. With over 10 million views and 14,000 likes, it seems the internet couldn’t resist peeking into this miniature world of unexpected guests.
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Responses from social media users poured in, ranging from shock to reluctant acceptance of the fruit’s newfound inhabitants. “It’s well known strawberries have bugs, soak them in water with either vinegar or baking soda or salt for 20+ minutes,” advised one user, while another optimistically pointed out, “Fruits bugs have protein.”
But fear not, dear fruit enthusiasts! This isn’t the first time strawberries have found themselves in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. A similar video surfaced in 2023, courtesy of the New York Post, sending shivers down the spines of unsuspecting viewers. Set to an eerie soundtrack, the clip revealed the presence of tiny mite-like creatures scurrying about on the strawberry’s surface, sparking widespread unease.
Are you having a good day today?
I'm sorry for ruining it by posting this video of a strawberry under a microscope. pic.twitter.com/xQKSG04OYK
— QENNY COSTCO STAN (@AKBrews) March 28, 2023
According to experts, these uninvited guests go by the name of spotted wing drosophila, a pesky fruit fly known for laying its eggs beneath the skin of strawberries and other berries. As the larvae hatch, they make a grand exit, crawling out of the fruit’s skin like an unexpected party trick.
But before you swear off strawberries forever, take heed of the wisdom shared by entomologists like Don Lewis and Sriyanka Lahiri. “The larvae will be one-fiftieth of an inch – not even visible to the naked eye,” reassures Lewis. And according to Lahiri, these tiny creatures are just a part of the package deal when it comes to consuming fresh produce. “Most fruits, stored grains, they have some level of insect infestation that is impossible to get rid of,” she says, putting things into perspective.
