Caterpillar of the tobacco hornworm moth covered in cocoons of a parasitoid wasp, Cotesia, sp.

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Caterpillar of the tobacco hornworm moth covered in cocoons of a parasitoid wasp, Cotesia, sp. After a female wasp lays her eggs on a caterpillar, the larval wasps feed on the caterpillar. When they are ready to pupate, they emerge from the caterpillar and spin cocoons. This caterpillar was still alive even after the adults had emerged from their cocoons. Image CE9AC4 includes an inset photo of an adult wasp.

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Size: 3456px × 5184px
Location: Haydenville, Massachusetts, United States USA
Photo credit: © Custom Life Science Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: .., ..., animal, animals, arthropod, arthropods, braconid, braconidae, braconids, caterpillar, caterpillars, cocoon, cocoons, cotesia, hornworm, hymenoptera, hymenopteran, insect, insects, islc, larva, larvae, lepidoptera, lepidopteran, manduca, massachusetts, parasite, parasites, parasitic, parasitoid, parasitoids, pupa, pupae, sexta, tobacco, tomato, usa, wasp