Maculinea Arion

In mid-July, the female butterfly lays an egg on the inflorescence of a certain type of plant, the only plant that the larvae can feed on. From the egg comes a small caterpillar. After a short time, a reddish ant appears, which analyzes the larva and, instead of grabbing it with its strong jaws, carefully approaches its back and swallows a tiny drop of liquid secreted by the caterpillar. The sweet drop, with a still little known chemical content, enchants the ant, which will take the caterpillar and take it to its anthill. In the anthill, the butterfly caterpillar hides untouched in one edge of the mound. From hiding, it emerges daily and eats eggs or pupae of the host ants. Ants, instead of reacting and killing it, tolerate the predatory behavior of the butterfly caterpillar. At the beginning of spring, the adult caterpillar, protected from the cold and having a protein-rich food at its disposal, turns into a pupa, from which a beautiful butterfly emerges after the middle of July.