A new desktop game called The Crawling Dead, released on September 9 on Steam, aims to teach players about the ecological importance of parasitic wasps. The project is a collaboration between University of Central Florida (UCF) Professor of Biology Barbara Sharanowski and undergraduate computer science students.
Sharanowski’s research focuses on the phylogenetic systematics of parasitic wasps, examining their evolutionary relationships. Her studies provided the foundation for the game’s concept. “My work on parasitic wasps and their symbiotic viruses forms the foundation for the game and other outreach efforts designed to engage the public with biology in a fun and accessible way,” Sharanowski said.
The development process involved senior computer science students as part of their capstone project under Associate Lecturer Matthew Gerber’s supervision. An initial group created the original concept, while a second team developed it into a playable desktop version after shifting from an initial virtual reality vision due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The students coded, designed and refined the game, which was initially envisioned as a virtual reality experience but shifted to desktop due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Sharanowski explained.
In The Crawling Dead, players act as scientists tasked with protecting a national park by designing custom wasps to control invasive pests. “The goal as a scientist is to save the park by releasing special wasps with beneficial features, like venom, ovipositor length or even mind control, that make them more effective at targeting host species such as caterpillars, beetles and aphids,” she said.
Players learn about biological traits through in-game explanations and are introduced to concepts such as endoparasitoid and ectoparasitoid behaviors. “These wasps can be endoparasitoids, developing inside their host, or ectoparasitoids, developing outside the host,” Shanowski noted. She emphasized that these insects are common worldwide and serve an important function in natural pest control.
Funding for this initiative came from the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Rules of Life Initiative, which supports research into fundamental questions about living systems.
According to Sharanowski, parasitic wasps represent one of Earth’s most diverse lineages: “For every insect that’s out there, there’s likely one or more parasitic wasps that attack it.” Her research also investigates how some viruses have become integrated into wasp genomes: “Over time, some viruses have become integrated into the genomes of certain parasitic wasps, effectively making the virus and wasp a single organism,” she said. This relationship influences both immune responses and behavior in host organisms.
Sharanowski highlighted her commitment to making science accessible: “One of my core values as an educator is to make science engaging,” she stated. She pointed out UCF’s Collection of Arthropods—known locally as the “Bug Closet”—as another resource for learning about insect biodiversity in Central Florida.
A mobile version of The Crawling Dead is currently under development by another student group at UCF and is expected later this year. Sharanowski concluded: “There is so much beauty out there, and I want people to see how fascinating bugs are and the important role they play in ecosystems.”
