Poop Weapons

By Anna Rothschild
Posted 09.03.15
NOVA

Animals will go to great lengths to avoid being eaten by predators—including covering themselves in their own poo. In this episode of Gross Science, learn about three ways that animals use poop for protection.

Running Time: 02:00

Transcript

Poop Weapons

Posted: September 3, 2015

Animals have evolved countless methods to keep themselves from being eaten by predators. And, they’re not always pretty. Here are three ingenious ways that animals use poop to avoid predation.

I’m Anna Rothschild and this is Gross Science.

Number 1: Fecal Shields

The larva of the tortoise beetle has what scientists call a “telescoping anus” that it uses to dab bug poo, called “frass,” onto a fork-like structure sticking out from its rear end. This creates a “fecal shield” that the larva uses to club ants and beetles that try to attack it. The poop also contains noxious chemicals from the plants that the larva eats to help ward off predators.

Number 2: Poop Shooters

Rather than holding onto their poo, certain types of caterpillars try to fling it away as far as possible. The wasps that prey on skipper caterpillars are attracted to the smell of the skipper’s poop. So, the caterpillars increase the blood pressure to their nether-regions to shoot their poop nearly 40 times their body length away. For some perspective, that’s like if I could propel my poo a distance of 220 feet.

Number 3: Crap Camo

Finally, there are animals that don’t horde or fling their poo. Instead, they try to be poo. The body color and web design of this orb-weaving spider make it look surprisingly like bird poop. And new research indicates that this masquerade may be a way to keep predators from seeing the spider as a tasty treat.

Hey, it’s a tough world out there. You gotta do what you gotta do. And if that means dressing up like a turd, or launching your feces from an anal trebuchet then so be it.

Ew.