[leps-talk] 'dancing' pupae

[Woody Woods]

Maybe it is a behavior that, at the risk of attracting birds or
insectivores, nonetheless deters wasps and other parasites-- pretty
difficult to oviposit into a spinning, screeching top.

Woody
*************************************************
William A. Woods Jr.
Department of Biology
University of Massachusetts Boston
100 Morrissey Blvd
Boston, MA 02125

Lab: 617-287-6642
Fax: 617-287-6650
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From: Rob Vandermoor <lepidopterists at shaw.ca>
Reply-To: lepidopterists at shaw.ca
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2004 20:21:27 -0700
To: Leps-l at lists.yale.edu
Subject: Re: [leps-talk] 'dancing' pupae


 Norbert, I have only witnessed once something similar to this. August
26,1988 I collected a species of Lymantriidae larva and shortly after
pupation it began to emit a sound from within its cocoon. When the cocoon
was picked up the cocoon would literally vibrate. Of course I had to
carefully dissect the cocoon to see what was going on... what else could I
do? When disturbed the pupa would spin like a top first one way and then the
other way creating a vibrating screeching sound as the pupa rubbed against
the inside of the cocoon. At the time my first thoughts were that this sound
might help ward off birds and insectivores but now think that this behavior
might actually insight a feeding response.. not a good thing if you are a
relatively helpless pupa.

Robert Vandermoor
Coquitlam, BC
Canada.


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