Winter moth caterpillar and wasp
May 09, 2019 • 10:34 PM UTC
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katiegu
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In our intro to Foldscopes class with Manu, our BioE 301C cohort went out to the (wild outdoors!) Stanford Engineering Quad to collect samples for imaging.
Each year, springtime brings a whole host of caterpillars to campus, the most notorious of which is the Western Tussock Moth. These guys can be easily identified by their fuzzy, red dotted bodies and the four mini cotton-tuft bundles near their heads.
Each year, springtime brings a whole host of caterpillars to campus, the most notorious of which is the Western Tussock Moth. These guys can be easily identified by their fuzzy, red dotted bodies and the four mini cotton-tuft bundles near their heads.
Western Tussock Moth
(the most notorious springtime caterpillar on campus)
In sorting through a handful of dirt by an oak tree in the center of the Eng Quad, we found a less conspicuous caterpillar species— the thin, lime-green winter moth— being dragged along by an ant-like wasp (or wasp-like ant?). We quickly captured the two critters with a piece of tape, and imaged our first Foldscope sample in the following video.
We suspected the fluorescent green blobs in the first video to be the wasp’s digested caterpillar poop (!) but would be curious to know what you think.
(the most notorious springtime caterpillar on campus)
In sorting through a handful of dirt by an oak tree in the center of the Eng Quad, we found a less conspicuous caterpillar species— the thin, lime-green winter moth— being dragged along by an ant-like wasp (or wasp-like ant?). We quickly captured the two critters with a piece of tape, and imaged our first Foldscope sample in the following video.
We suspected the fluorescent green blobs in the first video to be the wasp’s digested caterpillar poop (!) but would be curious to know what you think.
Fluorescent green (digested caterpillar) poop from wasp
Winter moth caterpillar body scan The edges of the caterpillar legs had a wonderful amber-ish, dark red color, imaged below.
Close-up of caterpillar legs
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