Warning Charge.

ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY; AQUATIC animals; PREDATION; CATERPILLARS; RESEARCH personnel

Caterpillars have been found to possess the ability to sense the electrostatic fields of approaching wasps, marking the first recorded predator-prey interaction of this kind on land. Researchers measured the electrostatic charges of caterpillars and wasps, and replicated the electrical field produced by a wasp approaching a caterpillar using electrodes. The caterpillars responded with defensive behavior, either remaining coiled or attempting to bite the electrodes. The study suggests that caterpillars detect these fields through bristly fibers on their bodies, which vibrate in response to the electrical stimulus. [Extracted from the article]

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