@Jrsbugs, here is one of the links: http://www.ietravel.com/blog/o...

Thanks Greene, I seem to remember reading the first part of that! The article gives a good idea of the importance of caterpillars, leaves on a tree which have served their purpose are then turned into fertiliser for the roots to take up.

This caterpillar must have more than one 'stomach'! Cows have 4 stomachs, but they don't make shaped droppings.

Often, larger frass looks similar to miniature ears of corn. The shape has to do with the intestine being able to absorb as many nutrients as they can from a very low nutrient food base. So, there is a large surface area on the frass which looks like corn on the cob.

Now every time you eat corn on the cob you will know what it reminds you of.

Hush, cows make 'shaped' droppings. They are pie shaped...cow pie shaped. I should know; I've stepped in enough of them.

Cow patties.

JRsbugs said:Aha! The thought comes to mind that in order for the caterpillars not to be noticed, it has to camouflage it's droppings. They might resemble something else which is not palatable!

when I saw greene's picture, my first thought was nasturtium seeds

My friend Plant Sister found a link for insect frass fertilizer: http://www.wathydroponic.com/p...

"The shape has to do with the intestine being able to absorb as many nutrients as they can from a very low nutrient food base. " I read that from one of the links you provided...sounds sensible to me! Very fun to read a thread with such inquiring minds. Even if it is about poop.

to All Things Plants
Hope you find a lot of fun friendly people here.

I remember watching a thread once that was suppose to be ? turtle eggs that were actually stink horns quite a surprise to all when they ? ''hatched''

Ha! That's great...I remember stinkhorns popping up in the veggie garden in VA. They looked more like a canine private part than a turtle egg though.....

It is the underground part that looks like an egg, the person dug them from the mulch and recovered them then watched to see if they would hatch, yes they hatched red and slimy Everyone watching the thread was surprised , we were thinking turtle or maybe lizard, all had a good laugh and education.

Can't accuse these cats of not being "regular" as they're ALL regular...........and I agree with the poster who teased that they are high up in the tree laughing their sassafrasses off at us being so flummoxed .......whatdya think??? The theory that the regular/seed-like shapes might confuse species that might prey on them sounds very logical......

I love when science is also hilarious!