Mucilage-licking-behavior

Guides

• Buckleria

  Buckleria is a genus of plume moths (Pterophoridae) whose larvae are specialized herbivores of carnivorous sundew plants (Drosera). Caterpillars possess a unique behavioral adaptation of licking mucilage from the plant's sticky glandular hairs, enabling them to move safely on trap leaves that typically capture and digest insects. This represents a rare example of a specialist consumer exploiting plants generally considered insectivorous.

  plume-mothcarnivorous-plant-specialistDrosera-herbivoremucilage-licking-behaviorwetland-specialistcounter-adaptation