why caterpillars eat their eggshells

[Ron Gatrelle]

There is a big difference between "why do they?" and "what benefit is there
in?"

Why do they, necessitates intent. This question is answered very well by
John Grehan below. Other similar answers could be given - especially if we
were larvae. So putting myself in their shell I might say to the
interviewer. "The shell is edible and it is the first thing I eat. I guess
I just keep eating till I get full." or  "I don't know why I do it, how can
I know, I don't have a brain. I just do it. (And don't ask how I can talk
without a brain, or lips, or....)"

So the real question here is  - What benefit is there in their eating the
shell? Fortunately, some humans do have a brain - which in the simple
course of our  watching stuff around us - will engage in taking notice and
produce questions. When we ask questions we then want to know the answer.
This leads one to do  research or ask someone who has done it. This is the
point we are ate (oops) AT here. So now that our question has been
rephrased, we can share with one another what we have scientifically
discovered about this matter.

One more thing. There is a why, and therefore an intent, behind the
gazillions of very useful, highly specialized and integrated things the
bazillions of living things do. It is called God.

 RG

----- Original Message -----
From: "Nick Greatorex-Davies" <ngd at ceh.ac.uk>
To: "<" <leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2001 4:30 AM
Subject: Re: why caterpillars eat their eggshells


> Here in the UK we have at least one species, the Lobster Moth,
> Stauropus fagi - Notodontidae, which, to quote The Moths and
> Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Volume 9: " On hatching, the
> first instar larva is ant-like and feeds solely on its eggshell, this
> instar being of nine days' duration". Elsewhere I have read that this
> species (and I think some other species) die if they are deprived of
> their eggshell.
>
> Nick Greatorex-Davies
> CEH Monks Wood, UK
>
>
> John Grehan <jrg13 at psu.edu> 30/03/01 04:16:37 >>>
>
> Please straighten this out.... why DO they eat their eggshells?
>
> Probably for the same reason we eat anything at all. There is an
> object that fulfulls a physiological requirement - hunger. Those
> caterpillars are of such a physionlogy that they respond to the
> egg shell as food and thus they eat. This may result in
> nutritional or microbial benefit, but I am not aware that
> the caterpillars take action with this or any other result
> in mind.
>
> John Grehan

>
>  ------------------------------------------------------------
>
>    For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:
>
>    http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl
>
>


 
 ------------------------------------------------------------ 

   For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:

   http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl