Alex Keene finds that caterpillars are aggressive when food is scarce, with the result looking like a combination of boxing and “bumper” cars. With less access to milkweed, they lunge and knock aside other caterpillars to protect themselves and ensure their own survival.
“Aggression is common in insects, including fruit flies, where single-pheromone receptors or single genes have been shown to trigger their aggression,” said Keene. Monarchs present a model for studying molecular mechanisms underlying behavior and welcome future investigations into aggression. Researchers believe that aggression caused due to limited food supply is present throughout the animal kingdom.
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