| Actual Image
Latex Sabotage (20)
ingridshaul
![Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 40 W: 5 N: 103]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-n-g.gif) (285) | ASOTA SPECIOSA (specious Tiger) (Drury 1773)
(ID and info kindly supplied by South African Museum in Cape Town)
“Latex sabotage: Caterpillars of Asota Speciosa feed on fig trees which have a sticky milky latex that poses both physical (gumming up the caterpillar’s mouth parts) and chemical hindrances for herbivores. The caterpillars sabotage the latex flow by chewing into the leaf veins on the underside of the leaf (where these veins are more prominent than on the upper surface). This action interrupts the flow of latex. The caterpillar then feeds on the parts of the leaf that would have been provided with latex via the sabotaged veins.”
PHOTO
Moth about 5 cm long, found on the bark of Tree trunk of Common Fig Tree (ca 15m tall ) in our garden - very bad light conditions - due to heavy foliage - necessitated adjustment of exposure as well as colour. An image of the eyes is available in the Workshop. |
|
