I have observed this opportunistic behavior/survival strategy ("cannibalism" is
too anthropomorphic for my taste) dozens of times over the years, the meal
usually being an unfortunate egg, immobile caterpillar, or fresh chrysalis. I
recently watched in amazement as a fourth-instar Papilio ambrax avidly consumed
one and then another of its molting cohorts, despite being surrounded by fresh
citrus leaves. I have also witnessed more aggressive encounters where a
smaller, mobile sibling is seized, bitten, held overhead, and then tossed
aside. While overcrowding as well as inadequate host supply and/or quality --
NOT the case in the above two examples -- are certainly more likely to be
factors during confinement, I nevertheless strongly suspect this phenomenon
(perhaps another anthropomorphic word) occurs frequently, if not routinely, in
the wild. And why not? It makes perfect sense from the hungry larva's
standpoint: more food (chemically speaking, just another leaf) . . . less
competition.
Best wishes,
Keith
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tue, 07 Sep 2010 22:50:25 -0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: [ButterflyIndia] Fulvous Pied Flat (Pseudocoladenia dan)
kay, some species tend to cannibalize much more than others. i don't think
there is a general explanation for why that is, but Blues and certain
nymphalids tend to do this much more frequently. my first Baron (Euthalia
aconthea) pupa was eaten by another Baron
caterpillar. it was quite heart-breaking. on the other hand, i have never seen
any Papilio caterpillars cannibalizing other Papilio or eating anything that's
not their host plant, no matter how hungry they are.
i don't have a good explanation for these anecdotes, but i am sure someone can
find a general theory to explain this behavior when we have enough observations
and/or some experimentation.
At 7:23 PM +0530 9/7/10, satyendra tiwari wrote:
Thankyou for this, I will try and find this plant.
Now another question. We have Common Rose reproducing at present. Always they
ravage the plants and dont seem to get enough food. Today one of the
caterpillars actually ate a chrysalis! I have never seen this happen before and
am wondering if it is common behaviour? Recently we saw a moth caterpillar
eating a Crow caterpillar and also believe the bigger Crow caterpillars ate the
smaller ones. Also some variety of ant are eating Emigrant eggs. But a
caterpillar eating its siblings chrysalis??
Would be intreged to know more.
Thanking you
Kay Tiwari for Satyendra whose in Pachmarhi.
PS. I have taken a picture but its not of Satyendras standard.
--
Enjoy
