Ilex Integra (Elegance Female Holly) モチノキ

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are the fruits of ilex integra or elegance female holly. They're 1 cm in diameter, and some are red while others still green for a reason.  

The tree has a natural enemy, i.e., a wasp "macrodasyceras hirsutum Kamijo." The baby wasps lay eggs within ilex integra seeds in summer, and in autumn, the wasp larvae stop the fruit changing from green to red (wow!) to prevent the red ripe fruits from being eaten by birds, which usually eat red fruits, spreading the seeds around and helping the plants' reproduction.

These green fruits may be naturally green or stopped by the larvae from turning red, but either way, ilex integra and the wasp both are fighting for their survival.  

Ilex integra モチノキ

Elegance female holly モチノキ

Elegance female holly モチノキ


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モチノキです。赤と緑の1センチほどの実がカワイイです。

モチノキには「モチノキタネオナガコバチ」という天敵がいるそうです。コバチは夏、種子の中に産卵し、幼虫は秋に実が赤くなるのを止めて(すごい能力!)、実が鳥に食べられないようにするそうです(鳥は赤い実を食べます)。でもこれって、鳥に種子を運んでもらって繁殖するモチノキにとっては死活問題。モチノキもハチも戦ってます!

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