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(Yponomeuta cagnagellus)
(Yponomeutidae)
The
caterpillars of Yponomeuta are patch-restricted foragers on Euonymus.
They remain together throughout their lifetime, pupating en mass in
their
webbing. Studies show that the caterpillars secrete a chemical marker
with
their silk that defines the limits of the foraging arena and holds the
colony together.
Reference
Roessingh, P. 1990. Chemical
trail
marker from silk of Yponomeuta cagnagellus. J. Chem. Ecol.16:
2203-2216.