Kleptopharmacophagy : a discovered behavior in Danainae

wollastoni
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Kleptopharmacophagy : a discovered behavior in Danainae Sept 15, 2021 7:32:15 GMT -8 Adam Cotton likes this

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Post by wollastoni on Sept 15, 2021 7:32:15 GMT -8

Our friends David Lohman, Ethan Beaver, Yi Kai Tea and Jonathan Soong have published and described an interesting behaviour from Danainae butterflies. They wound some caterpillars to steal some chemical substance to become unpalatable.

www.nytimes.com/2021/09/09/science/butterflies-eating-caterpillars.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuonUktbfqohkQVUbCibOVtkqqBaLwvLS3KAxnHH6LSWODDtL0-UTDM2L8lvAf7JiY986xS_dRMNENPVnYs1O-dJlHh4nTRi08NzDkY4ZIi4xpMW_VWhp08icAfU1-m7gKzSyJLw6zuyx4lfabGHvD6yM1SUlJFl1sNAyIwHRrH8Mzq_BEeNz0sAvnqtyQ8AnGkpTIXWCrPLqCB1hOdWZbhi66gU-We9RWzC7jsfLovtbM10UUQSaOSs5tWUs69pcOMcVNLL_KnMjfMn_h7YQAw94PTiU_1TQqu0KsPT0Ej92O-E&smid=em-share&fbclid=IwAR1HZ4sBfe5NWHmKuweDrXAOUTUtZfIU1D5XuWlEytS7RXw0WvpuyVgvdOw

I have never witnessed this myself. I have seen them doing so with some live plants, but never on live caterpillars.
I will pay better attention now.

Picture : Tea & al

Last Edit: Sept 15, 2021 7:42:20 GMT -8 by wollastoni

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kevinkk Premium Member - 2022 Posts: 827 Country: Oregon,USA	Kleptopharmacophagy : a discovered behavior in Danainae Sept 15, 2021 19:52:35 GMT -8 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by kevinkk on Sept 15, 2021 19:52:35 GMT -8 That is amazing. Thanks for the post, I learn new things all the time here. So- when someone claims they've been bitten by a butterfly...

Adam Cotton
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Country: Thailand

Kleptopharmacophagy : a discovered behavior in Danainae Sept 16, 2021 0:17:03 GMT -8

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Post by Adam Cotton on Sept 16, 2021 0:17:03 GMT -8

Well, they don't actually 'bite', they use their tarsal claws to scratch the larva so it bleeds and then suck the liquid which exudes with their proboscis.

There are some species of moths with a specially adapted proboscis that can pierce mammal skin and suck blood. Fruit piercing moths can similarly suck juices from inside ripe fruit.

Adam.

Kleptopharmacophagy : a discovered behavior in Danainae

Post by wollastoni on Sept 15, 2021 7:32:15 GMT -8

Post by kevinkk on Sept 15, 2021 19:52:35 GMT -8

Post by Adam Cotton on Sept 16, 2021 0:17:03 GMT -8