YouTuber Launches Weeks-Long Quest To Kill Bug Some Suspect Is Genetically Engineered Bioweapon

After YouTuber Rusty Cage found a lone star tick on his body, he went viral for documenting his repeated attempts to kill the bug over 16 days.

Online groups and even some academics have speculated that Bill Gates genetically altered the lone star tick to carry a red meat allergy called alpha-gal syndrome as a bioweapon. At least 15,000 people are diagnosed with the disease every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Cage’s attempt to kill the tick showed that it is not only potentially harmful but also extremely resilient.

Cage began by submerging the tick in water to see how long it would survive. After day five, it was still moving. By the end of the first week, it appeared motionless. However, when Cage tried prodding it with tweezers, it revived again. Cage kept the bug in water for nearly two weeks. When he removed it, he believed it had finally died. But after blowing on it, the tick revived again.

YouTuber Rusty Cage has been trying to kill a red star tic for over a week… and it has refused to die. pic.twitter.com/UHvmXjjraZ

— DramaAlert (@DramaAlert) July 7, 2026

On day 15, Cage placed it in the freezer for 24 hours to see whether freezing would kill the bug. After removing it, it didn’t appear to be moving, but Cage suspects it may revive.

According to ScienceDirect, a lone star tick in the adult stage can survive about three weeks underwater, while in the nymphal stage it can survive up to 19 weeks. All stages of the lone star tick, from nymph to adult, have been known to bite humans. (Read more from “YouTuber Launches Weeks-Long Quest To Kill Bug Some Suspect Is Genetically Engineered Bioweapon” HERE)

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