It’s kind of like wearing a leather jacket 

The ‘Bone Collector’ Doesn’t Play With Its Food. It Wears It.

“Using silk, the caterpillar weaves bits of the dead insects it encounters on the spider’s web. The researchers have identified parts from six families of insects attached to the caterpillars, including weevil heads and beetle abdomens. The caterpillar even incorporates pieces of exoskeleton molted by their arachnid neighbors.”

It’s kind of like wearing a leather jacket 

The ‘Bone Collector’ Doesn’t Play With Its Food. It Wears It.

“Using silk, the caterpillar weaves bits of the dead insects it encounters on the spider’s web. The researchers have identified parts from six families of insects attached to the caterpillars, including weevil heads and beetle abdomens. The caterpillar even incorporates pieces of exoskeleton molted by their arachnid neighbors.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/24/science/caterpillar-bone-collector.html?unlocked_article_code=1.IU8._ZHh.wkxtN8rSi3s7&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

The Farcaster formerly known as Kchamp. Books, beats, bodybuilding, bright ideas and beautiful things.

katherinechampagne.com

Another cool fact about the "Bone Collector" caterpillar is that it exclusively picks dead insect parts or shed spider exoskeletons to decorate its silky case, completely ignoring natural materials like twigs or leaves. This shows how picky and precise it is in crafting its protective "outfit" to stay hidden from spiders