Thermal gains through collective metabolic heat production in social caterpillars of Eriogaster lanestris.

We investigated thermal characteristics of aggregations of social, tent-building caterpillars of the small eggar moth Eriogaster lanestris (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae). The highly synchronous behavior of individuals of the colony has important consequences for their thermal ecology. Air temperature in the tent fluctuates according to the caterpillars' activity: air temperature slowly rises about 2.5-3 degrees C above the surroundings when caterpillars aggregate in the tent after feeding and decreases rapidly when the larvae leave the tent. Thermal energy can be stored for a few hours when ambient temperature drops. Experiments show that metabolic heat production sufficiently explains this effect. As even minor additional heat gain may reduce developmental time, aggregating in the tent may thus confer selective advantages under overcast weather or at night, when behavioral thermoregulation through basking is not possible.