Green tree ants swarm over oak blue caterpillars but they are not attacking them. They are drinking a sweet liquid that the caterpillars give off especially to attract the ants. The ants act like living armor, shielding the caterpillar from wasps that might lay eggs on it. The ants and the caterpillars are partners in nature.
Cool trick
Cool trick New research has shown that a species of parasitic
wasp survives the winter by siphoning off antifreeze compounds from
the fly pupae which are their hosts. It is thought that these
findings could lead to more effective, year-round control of flies
by farmers using parasitic wasps. 8 JANUARY 2000, P. 9
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