The
hydrangea leaftiers wrapped themselves in multiple layers of protection, but what did they need to be shielded against? Another group of caterpillars that I encountered over the summer illustrated a potential danger. These caterpillars were also busy tying leaves.
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| Woven together leaves. |
However, as they built their shelters, they were exposed on the exterior of the leaves.
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| A caterpillar, probably of a tortricid moth (Tortricidae). |
One of the vulnerable caterpillars exhibited evidence of a recent attack: two parasitoid eggs attached to its body.
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| A caterpillar with two parasitoid eggs on it. |
Even if this caterpillar escaped the attention of predators and hid itself within the leaves, it was probably the parasitoid larvae that benefited from the shelter in the end.
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