This weekend, to explore a bit further afield, I visited a public garden. While the other visitors were admiring the densely packed flower beds and jotting down the names of plants, I was inspecting the undersides of leaves. Leaves might not seem to have much to offer when compared to the brilliant colors of flowers and the fast-paced action of the insects that visit them. However, the plainness of leaves disguises a world of quiet intrigue.
Often, the view from above provides a sign of the action underneath. Chewed leaf edges are a clue that there may still be a hungry caterpillar below.
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| A furry caterpillar munches on a leaf. |
Meanwhile, folded leaves can shelter a nest.
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| A female Misumena vatia guards her nest. |
Even the leaves that look normal from above may hide a surprising secret. As the people around me were busy identifying new plants to add to their own gardens, I discovered a mummy.
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| A mummified caterpillar. |
This caterpillar had been mummified by a parasite (likely a wasp). The
developing parasite would have fed on the caterpillar from inside before
breaking out of the mummy through the hole that is visible at the top.
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