Javier Aznar
Sleeping in group
Aggregation of caterpillars resting on the base of a tree, Ecuador, 2021
Category - Into the Forest
For several days in a row, I was able to observe a swarm of caterpillars on the base of a tree in Yasuni, in the Ecuadorian Amazon. When I got closer to take some photos I saw that a group of parasitic flies was hovering around them. At night, the caterpillars climbed to the top of the tree to feed on the leaves, but during the day they aggregated on the base, pressed tightly against each other to minimise the exposed area of their bodies and reduce the risk of predation, or in this case, being parasitized by the flies. But despite all the caterpillars’ efforts, the flies managed to lay their eggs on them with a long protractile organ. After a week, only a few caterpillars were healthy enough to continue their daily journeys up and down the tree. This highlights the very complex relationships and survival conditions of the different organisms in the forest.
20 mm f/1.8 Lens - 1/60 sec at f/22 ISO 250