In recent years, street trees in Wushan County, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality have been "haunted" by a kind of vine. Trees being twined by the vines would wither or even die. Experts diagnosed the cause and confirmed that the vine is a parasitic plant called China Dodder (Cuscuta chinensis Lam).

The dodders like to attach themselves to plants, and wrap on the hosts to secure water and nutrients. Hence, the vine is also called a "vampire plant." In order to control it, China's city management officers, or "chengguan," become "vampire hunters" to clean the dodders. They climb on the trees to strip the vines and spray drugs to prevent the spread of the pests.

(All images via VCG)

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com.)