Tritrophic Interactions in Agriculture

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corn_moth_caterpillar_wasp

In this example of tritrophic interactions in agriculture, there is corn, a moth, and a wasp. The moth lays eggs on the leaves of the plant. When the eggs hatch, the caterpillars feed on the plant. The female wasp injects an egg into the caterpillar and, after hatching, the wasp larva feeds on the moth larva (caterpillar). From top left, Spodoptera littoralis adult (Bernard Fransen, Bugwood.org;), a wasp injecting an egg into a caterpillar (Ted Turlings, ScienceNews for Students), corn field (Medienservice, pixabay), Spodoptera littoralis (larva) (Biologische Bundesanstalt für Land- und Forstwirtschaft , Biologische Bundesanstalt für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Bugwood.org) 

Read more: N. R. Gough, Odor Battles: From Corn to Caterpillar to Wasp. BioSerendipity (23 May 2018) https://www.bioserendipity.com/plant-insect-tritrophism/.

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