Connection: Large Blue caterpillars do not pose a significant threat to the oregano plant. Which piece of evidence from the passage supports this connection? Select the two correct answers.

) "But if butterfly larvae tried to trick the wrong patsies-non-Mymirca ants-they'd likely get eaten."
"The overwhelming majority of their sustenance-98 to 99 percent-comes from eating ants."
"Large Blue caterpillars only gain 1 to 2 percent of their body weight by nibbling on the oregano leaves during the early stages of life."
"And though Myrmica might lose individual battles to the butterflies, the ants are invasive enough that their total populations aren't at risk of being harmed by the butterflies."
"From an evolutionary perspective, Thomas and Barbero say that the Large Blue butterflies gained an advantage by using scents to glean which oregano plants are fighting off Myrmica invasions."

1 answer

The two correct answers that support the connection that Large Blue caterpillars do not pose a significant threat to the oregano plant are:

  1. "Large Blue caterpillars only gain 1 to 2 percent of their body weight by nibbling on the oregano leaves during the early stages of life."
  2. "And though Myrmica might lose individual battles to the butterflies, the ants are invasive enough that their total populations aren't at risk of being harmed by the butterflies."

These statements highlight the minimal impact of the caterpillars on the oregano plant's overall health and the broader context of species interactions, indicating that the caterpillars do not pose a significant threat.