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Doomed For Dinner


Doomed For Dinner
Photo Information
Copyright: Ron Warner (tuslaw) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 511 W: 20 N: 1392] (4861)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-08-17
Categories: Insects
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/4 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-08-17 19:23
Viewed: 343
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 22
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
When I was a young boy I occasionally notice that some of the tomato worms in our garden had tiny white things sticking on their backs and sides. It wasn't until I took Biology in high school that I learned just exactly what these white cotton looking sacks were.

This is a Horned Tomato Worm with parasitic wasp cocoons attached to it's body. The Braconid Wasp is the culprit that is responsible for this parasitic process.

Braconid Wasp: Genus Cotesia
The adult females have long ovipositor and lays eggs inside of an insect host. The larva feeds on the inside of the host until it is ready to pupate. The wasp can either pupate inside the host, or in the case of the tomato and tobacco hornworm, pupate on the outside of the host. Those are the white cocoons you see on their backs, pupa cases for the wasp. The wasps will then emerge and look for more hosts.

The life cycle can range from 10-30 days
Info from: bugladyconsulting.com
nagraj, jpdenk, CatherineD, techranger, goldyrs, Ozgur70, Argus, meyerd, jmirah has marked this note useful
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To jmirah: Doomed for dinnertuslaw 1 09-30 18:56
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Critiques [Translate]

great closeup, TFS Ori

Hi,
Very fine natural history image, well captured. It looks very cruel of nature but that's the way the life goes. tfs.
nagraj.v

Hi Ron,

An excellent shot of this rather creepy part of nature. Excellent sharpness and well-composed, nice color.

I'm really glad that insects can't get any bigger than they are, as we humans wouldn't hold up well against the myriad predatory monsters that inhabit their miniature world.

Thanks,
John

Hello Ron,
Very interesting shot, very strange to see. The sharpness and colors are excellent. Thanks to share it with us. We learn a lot on this site! Cheers,
Catherine

Wonderful macro Ron. I wish I had this image while I was still teaching biology. Clarity of detail is excellent. What a lesson in parasitism. TFS.

Larry

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2398 W: 94 N: 5543] (17640)
  • [2009-08-18 12:29]

Hello Ron,
Wonderful world, wonderful nature. Very interesting photo. Excellent sharp details and POV. Beautiful natural colours, OOF BG and composition.
Regards,
Peter

So interesting.
Before I saw the wasp caterpillars attack to the butterfly catterpillars.
And also I saw the wasps lying eggs in butterflies pupa. But I newer seen such kind of scene.
TFS.

Hi Ron,
Interesting life cycle for these wasps. A number of farmers take advantage of crop pest predators to reduce the amount of pesticide sprayed onto crops and released into the environment.
Nice image, thanks for sharing.
Regards,
Greg

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3824 W: 190 N: 11393] (35107)
  • [2009-08-26 21:45]

This is a great contribution to TN Ron!

A fine capture of the dying caterpillar of the Five-spotted Hawk-moth, the Horned Tomato Worm. The caterpillar and the Braconid wasp coccoons are shown from a great lateral POV with fine sharpness and nicely composed on the dead branch.
These parasites play a great role in keeping down their host populations, the European Cabbage White butterfly being kept down by similar ichneumon wasps.
Incredible that the caterpillar can grow to full size while being eaten alive!
TFS.
Ivan

Hi Ron,
a rare sight this caterpillar with all the parasites attached. This kind of picture is what makes TN so interesting to me. Thanks for presenting it.
Best regards
Dietrich

Hi Ron
Great informative post...TFS
Jim

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