This nematode gained the household name of “southern root-knot” nematode because of its tendency to attack the roots of the plant. It attacks the roots by wrapping around them and destroying regular root cells to make its own giant cells. The roots become all gnarled and distorted. By using the nervous system the root-knot picks up chemical cues to guide itself to specific roots. The root-knot is also capable of thermotaxis, which is moving between different temperature gradients. By doing so sensory mechanisms allow the root-knot to dig through different soil depths to find the right root to infect.