Posted on Thursday, 26 January 2012

rhamphotheca:

“Lagartas Sinistras” - mass movement of the larvae of Sawflies (Perreyia sp.), Ilha Grande, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

These “caterpillars” are the larvae of Sawflies, which are in the insect order Hymenoptera (which also includes ants, wasps, and bees). The larvae of some species in this genus sometimes moves along the forest floor as a mass, feeding on fallen leaves. It is not well understood why they do this. They are found in a few countries in the Amazon Basin of South America.

This video has been going around the internet for awhile without identification or an explanation in English. I thought I’d provide one, in brief :3

Paxon

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