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CANNIBALISM AMONG CATERPILLARS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

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Extract

The following interesting notes upon this subject are taken from a paper recently received from Mr. L. de Nicéville, of Calcutta:

“The larvæ of many kinds of butterflies will, when they cannot get vegetable food, eat each other or soft, newly-formed pupæ. Mr. Bell has found that the greatest cannibals in this respect are the larvæ of certain Lycænidæ, and the worst among these, again, are the larvæ of Zesius chrysomallus, Hübn., for these will at times, even when plentifully supplied with their proper vegetable food, eat any larvæ which may be in a fit state to be eaten; i.e., which are either on the point of casting their skins, have just cast them, or are just going to pupate. The Lycænid larvæ, which are most addicted, after that of Z. chrysomallus, are those of the Amblypodia and Tajuria groups, those of Arrhopala and Rapala being nearly as bad.

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 33 , Issue 5 , May 1901 , pp. 131 - 132
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1901

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References

page 131 note * “The Food-plants of the Butterflies of the Kanara District of the Bombay President dency, with a revision of the Species of Butterflies there Occuring”; by Lionel de Niceville, F. E. S., etc. Reprinted from the Journal, Asiatic Society of Bengal, Vol. LXIX., Part ij., No. 2, 1900, pp. 187–278.

page 132 note * The larvæ of Papilio philenor, Linn., whose food-plant is Aristolochia sipho, have been knowm to devour their comrades in captivity when supplies ran short.—Ed.