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Eastern tent caterpillars (Malacosoma americanum) live in large groups in silk nests
Chapter 40, Problem 10(choose chapter or problem)
Eastern tent caterpillars (Malacosoma americanum) live in large groups in silk nests, resembling tents, which they build in trees. They are among the first insects to be active in early spring, when daily temperature fluctuates from freezing to very hot. Over the course of a day, they display striking differences in behavior: Early in the morning, they rest in a tightly packed group on the tents east-facing surface. In midafternoon, they are on its undersurface, each caterpillar hanging by a few of its legs. Propose a hypothesis to explain this behavior. How could you test it?
Questions & Answers
QUESTION:
Eastern tent caterpillars (Malacosoma americanum) live in large groups in silk nests, resembling tents, which they build in trees. They are among the first insects to be active in early spring, when daily temperature fluctuates from freezing to very hot. Over the course of a day, they display striking differences in behavior: Early in the morning, they rest in a tightly packed group on the tents east-facing surface. In midafternoon, they are on its undersurface, each caterpillar hanging by a few of its legs. Propose a hypothesis to explain this behavior. How could you test it?
ANSWER:Hypothesis: The east-facing surface of the tent provides direct sunlight, which allows the caterpillars to warm up faster and become mor