Researcher shows evolution of milkweed defense system

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A monarch butterfly caterpillar gets ready to devour a milkweed leaf. Before feeding the caterpillar disarms the plants natural defense system by cutting the milkweeds veins that deliver a toxic and sticky latex. Credit: Anurag Agrawal
A monarch butterfly caterpillar gets ready to devour a milkweed leaf. Before feeding, the caterpillar disarms the plant's natural defense system by cutting the milkweed's veins that deliver a toxic and sticky latex. Credit: Anurag Agrawal

(PhysOrg.com) -- The adage that your enemies know your weaknesses best is especially true in the case of plants and predators that have co-evolved: As the predators evolve new strategies for attack, plants counter with their own unique defenses.


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