News in Brief Animals

Why whistling caterpillars scare birds

Insect squeals may mimic other animals’ predator alarm call

whistling caterpillar

FALSE ALARM  Peck a walnut sphinx caterpillar and it will whistle out what may be the first known invertebrate examples of phony alarm calls.

Sam Kieschnick/iNaturalist.org (CC BY-NC)

By Susan Milius

- More than 2 years ago

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A caterpillar that emits a squeaky whistle may be mimicking bird calls that warn of an immediate, deadly threat.