Parasites Killing Our Caterpillars

You may not know this, but lots of insects thrive because they lay their eggs in or on caterpillars. When those eggs hatch, they eat the caterpillars while the caterpillars grow. Eventually, those parasites will pupate to become some type of flying insect, but when they leave their host-caterpillar, the hole they leave usually or always kills the caterpillar. So far, we've had flies and wasp-type things for parasites. It makes us very angry when we see our caterpillars die from these parasites, so we usually keep the parasites in a separate container until they hatch out of their own coccoon-things, then we starve them. I know, it's cruel. But they kill our caterpillars! Grrrrrr!

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• parasite
• caterpillar
• butterfly

[clair42210]

is that poisenus a bout 41

[MomWtrmn]

@clair42210 -- Yes, if you eat them, which I don't recommend. ^_~ But I imagine you mean is he poisonous to touch, and the answer is no, he's not poisonous. We handle them all the time; they're just fascinating. They have such a wonderful color and pattern to let predators know they're yucky. God bless you!

[nogueras19]

these are not actually parasites, because, as you said, they kill their host, but they are not predators eather

the scientific name for this way of living is parasitoid, because they live from their host for long time, but at the end, they kill it.

normaly they are wasps or flies,

I hope I have helped you

and please forgive me for my english, I'm spanish

[MomWtrmn]

@nogueras19 -- Thank you! I appreciate your knowledge. How kind of you to share what you know! And your English is wonderful. God bless you!

[SteveBurk]

I just had a monarch caterpiller turn into a chrysalis, but it was very small, it was strange to me. Then after few days i noticed it had same hole in side of it as yours. I also found same cacoon, that you show, of preditor came out of hole. Any idea what name of fly it is?

[MomWtrmn]

No, I have no idea. Next time this happens, I recommend taking it to a local Zoo or something and ask perhaps an entomologist. They often help us.

[meow7894]

parasites is bad

[Tulio300]

Parasites are the worst insects >:(

[Robertyunlaw]

I THINK WE NEED TO WIPE OUT MOSQUITOES OF THE FACE OF THE EARTH! MOSQUITOES CARRY ABOUT 72% OF THE WORLDS PARASITES!

[Sakina20uk]

I just found out that the Larva that consumes the caterpiller alive actually releases some sort of chemical that controls the caterpiller after consequently forcing the host to guard the Larvea from other parasitic insects, which results in the caterpiller starving itself, and thus dying. Basically, the parasite turns the caterpiller into a bodyguard- a mindless zombie ;-(

[ppgz97]

We put/dampened dirt in a little container and moved him/her into it. When we put it in the dirt, he crawled right it! Sadly, it wasn't eating anything we put in it's container and it died a couple of days ago. T-T

[MomWtrmn]

sorry i can't help you w/this one. i hope u got it worked out.  ^_^ ~blessings to you!