The Pipevine Caterpillar Thrives in a Toxic Love Triangle | Deep Look

The devilish caterpillars of the pipevine swallowtail butterfly devour the California pipevine, never mind that the plant is trying to poison them. Their butterfly moms don’t pollinate the pipevine in return, though. So, the vine traps unlucky gnats in its labyrinthine flowers to do the job.

Please join our community on Patreon!   / deeplook  
SUBSCRIBE to Deep Look! http://goo.gl/8NwXqt

DEEP LOOK is an ultra-HD (4K) short video series created by KQED San Francisco and presented by PBS Digital Studios. See the unseen at the very edge of our visible world. Explore big scientific mysteries by going incredibly small.

---

This is the story of a love triangle between a plant, a striking butterfly and an intrepid gnat. At the center of this triangle is the California pipevine (Aristolochia californica). The plant produces poisonous compounds called aristolochic acids and it’s also known as the California Dutchman’s pipe because its flowers are shaped like a tobacco pipe.

The California pipevine swallowtail butterfly (Battus philenor hirsuta) loves the vine. It flutters around the plant with its bright blue and orange wings and lays clusters of eggs on leaves and stems. When they hatch, the caterpillars feed exclusively on the pipevine. But the butterflies don’t pollinate the plant. Instead, the pipevine lures fungus gnats into its flowers with a mushroomy aroma that reminds the flies of the fungi they feed on in the soil as larvae. The flies get stuck inside the curved flowers long enough for their hairs to get coated in pollen. This strategy in which a plant attracts pollinators under false pretenses is called deceptive pollination.

--- Is the California pipevine a native plant?
Yes, it’s the only pipevine native to the state. It grows naturally along rivers.

--- Are fungus gnats considered pests?
Yes, they are. The adult flies lay their eggs in the earth, where their larvae feed on fungi and plant matter. If they get into potted soil, they can chew on the roots of houseplants and damage them.

---+ Find additional resources and a transcript on KQED Science:

https://www.kqed.org/science/1974786/...

---+ More great Deep Look episodes:

Why Is the Very Hungry Caterpillar So Dang Hungry?
   • Why Is The Very Hungry Caterpillar So Dang...  

This Giant Plant Looks Like Raw Meat and Smells Like Dead Rat
   • This Giant Plant Looks Like Raw Meat and S...  

---+ Shoutout!

Good try everyone! No-one got our GIF challenge correct for this episode. The caterpillars feeding side by side helps them grow bigger faster. The faster they grow, the better protected they are because they accumulate toxins in their bodies as they feed on the California pipevine.

---+ Thank you to our Top Patreon Supporters ($10+ per month)!

Chris B Emrick
Burt Humburg
Alex
Shebastian Reyes
Josh Kuroda
Wild Turkey
Karen Reynolds
dane rosseter
David Deshpande
Daisuke Goto
Allison & Maka Masuda
Companion Cube
Nathan Jewsbury
Tianxing Wang
Mark Jobes
Elizabeth Ann Ditz
Leonhardt Wille
Kelly Hong
Joshua Murallon Robertson
Laurel Przybylski
Mary Truland
Gerardo Alfaro
Sonia Tanlimco
Sayantan Dasgupta
El Samuels
Shelley Pearson Cranshaw
Supernovabetty
Carrie Mukaida
monoirre
Aurora
Silvan
Levi Cai
Roberta K Wright
Rick Wong
Kristy Freeman
Caitlin McDonough
Nicolette Ray
Misia Clive
Titania Juang
Carlos Carrasco
Nicky O.
Delphine Tseng
Syniurge
Noreen Herrington
Cristen Rasmussen
Jana Brenning
Blanca Vides
Kallie Moore
Anastasia Grinkevic
Scott Faunce
SueEllen McCann
Teresa Lavell
Louis O'Neill
Adam Kurtz
Mehdi
Cindy McGill
Laura Sanborn
KW
TierZoo
Kevin Judge

---+ Follow KQED Science and Deep Look:

Instagram:   / kqedscience  
Twitter:   / kqedscience  

---+ About KQED

KQED, an NPR and PBS affiliate in San Francisco, California, serves Northern California and beyond with a public-supported alternative to commercial TV, radio and web media.

Funding for Deep Look is provided in part by PBS Digital Studios. Deep Look is a project of KQED Science, the largest science and environment reporting unit in California. KQED Science is supported by The National Science Foundation, the Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, the Vadasz Family Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Campaign 21 and the members of KQED.

#californiapipevine #gnats #deeplook