Parasitoid-infested Tobacco Hornworm - larvae spinning cocoons

Tobacco Hornworms, the larvae of the sphinx moth Manduca sexta, are commonly attacked by the tiny Braconid wasp, Cotesia congregata. The wasp lays its eggs in the young body of the caterpillar, also depositing a virus which is thought to prolong the larval stages and prevent molting to the pupal stage. When the larvae are mature, they burrow out through the caterpillar's skin and make white silken cocoons on the surface. In this video, two newly emerged wasp larvae are spinning their cocoons.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• tobacco
• hornworm
• parasite
• cotesia
• congregata
• manduca
• sexta

[bmoisset]

Great capture! I have seen the adults emerging from the cocoons but never saw the larvae building the cocoons.

[Comanassisi]

please look at our tobacco machines.

check COMANASSISI videos.



[PavlovsStepson]

Nice! I never actually saw the cocoon being spun before!