英语时差：毛毛虫与植物

If you have kids, you’ve probably read the children's book The Very Hungry Caterpillar at least five thousand times. If you haven’t had the pleasure, here’s a brief plot summary. A caterpillar hatches from a small, white egg. Extremely hungry, the caterpillar proceeds to eat through several pieces of fruit, an assortment of junk food, and finally, to clear the palate, a nice green leaf. At the risk of ruining the ending, on the final page the caterpillar turns into a beautiful butterfly. Good plot, great characterization, enticing illustrations. But it leaves out the most exciting part–plant-insect warfare. In the real world, some caterpillars and plants engage in a deadly struggle for survival. We’re talking full-scale battle, involving chemical weapons no less.