After observing that the caterpillars «ballistically eject» Grape Nut - sized pellets of excrement, also known as frass, Weiss decided to investigate. (sciencemag.org)
«It's not surprising that chemicals in frass would be something that caterpillars have to worry about,» says chemical ecologist Jack Scultz at Pennsylvania State University, University Park. (sciencemag.org)
The scientists found out about this clever mechanism when they analyzed larval frass. (sciencedaily.com)