June 16, 2009

The beautiful endangered butterfly survives by imitating an immature red ant.

"[The newly hatched caterpillars] secrete chemicals and even make noises that make the red ants believe they are wayward grubs. The ants then mistakenly carry the caterpillars to their underground homes and keep looking after them even though the adopted intruders gobble ant grubs for 10 months before forming a chrysalis and flying away as adult butterflies."

The beautiful ones are so cruel...

7 comments:

traditionalguy said...

One more reason to get a properly made pre-nuptual agreement in effect before taking a beautiful life form into your home.

XWL said...

They forgot to blame the French in the article you linked.

(specifically, Paul Armand Delille)

chuck said...

Ah, the political class is the same even amongst the insects. Some things truly are universal.

MadisonMan said...

What a fascinating story. And thanks, XWL, for posting about M. Delille. I learned something tonight!

bagoh20 said...

I'm not religious, but damn, it's hard to believe that such a thing came about entirely by natural selection. I mean one brave grub had to try it first...and succeed.
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That my friends is leadership and that grub belongs on one of those posters they hang up in places of employment to motivate the insects of industry.

Wince said...

The ants then mistakenly carry the caterpillars to their underground homes...


We have video.

"Put all hope out of your mind, and masterbate as little as possible. It drains the strength."


I have it on good information that all of those butterflies eventually get tattoos of Steve McQueen on their chests.

knox said...

Love to hear Karl Pilkington's take on this one.