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Symbiosis

SciShow Tangents

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The Large Blue Butterfly Is a Threat to Ants

Large blue butterflies are one of a number of butterfly species called mirmacopiles that like to eat ants. Their caterpillars produce a scent that tricks ants into thinking that the caterpillar is one of them. To the caterpillar, the hosts of its new home double as an ant buffet. They spend around 11 months just eating ant grubs. The researchers trying to figure out how large blue a moths find mirmica have found that the butterflies are drawn to the carv a crawl the iregino plant produces.

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