The predator from within...

This young caterpillar played host to the larva of a type of parasitic wasp, called a Trichogramma wasp, which devours a substantial portion of the caterpillar's innards. The larva then emerges from the caterpillar's body and immediately uses the caterpillar's silk to spin itself a cocoon. Within a week or two, a tiny wasp (pic below) will hatch from the cocoon.

The caterpillar shown above is dead. Although the wasp larva, while growing inside the caterpillar, appears to spare the muscles and nervous system of the caterpillar so that the caterpillar will be able to hold onto the twig or leaf and also retain its reflex to move its head away from contact with another caterpillar, the caterpillar usually becomes entirely unresponsive within a few hours after the wasp larva emerges.

Below is a picture taken through the low-power lens (described in tools) of 2 wasps and the cocoons from which they hatched. That's a standard-sized paperclip next to them, so you can see that they are very very small. Not the sort of wasp that we worry about encountering.

Notice the wonderfully long antennae! To see one of these nasty [from the caterpillar's standpoint] little fellows in action, take a look here: http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/evolution98/page21.html

Point-of-view is important in deciding our alliance with one creature or another...for a rather different perspective on caterpillars and the wasps that parasitize them, have a look here: http://homeharvest.com/beneinscaterpillars.htm

Do a google.com "Images" search (first click on the "Images" tab and then enter the search terms) on 'caterpillar wasp' to find out lots more about Trichogramma wasps. 

Home


Home
The condo, nursery, bassinet, and pupa pad...
Tools...
Time for chow...
Beware store-bought food!
The preferred foods...
Convergence...
Newborn...
Reasoning with a youngster...
Pumpkerpillars...
Twins...
A tiny wasp larva intervenes...
Don't toss out that drowned cat!
Silk...
Frass...
Something there is in a fennel plant that loves a caterpillar egg...
Cats can be a handful... Applying low voltage...
Time to roam...
Contortion...
It's pupating where??
What is that weird thing?!
No harness? Stop worrying...
Emergence...
The butterfly...
Girl or Boy?
The fabulous flying machine...
Full Span...
The antennae...
The proboscis...