Caterpillars retrieve 'voicemail' by eating soil

(Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW)) Leaf-feeding caterpillars greatly enrich their intestinal flora by eating soil. It's even possible to trace the legacy effects of plants that previously grew in that soil through bacteria and fungi in the caterpillars. Researchers of the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) have just published these findings in the journal Nature Communications. They are of interest not just to scientists, but also to plant growers and farmers.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - Category: Biology Source Type: news