Stinkbug Leg Organ Hosts Fungi to Protect Eggs from Parasites
Originally Published 2 months ago — by Bioengineer.org
Researchers discovered that female dinidorid stinkbugs have a specialized fungal nursery on their hindlegs, which they use to coat their eggs with protective fungi that deter parasitic wasps, challenging the previous assumption that this structure was an auditory organ and revealing a complex mutualistic defense strategy.