Did anyone see the Arts Central nature documentary on Tuesday night where they showed how the eco-system in an African wood is interlinked (between the plants, animals and people)?

The habitat seems to revolve around this tree called the butterfly tree (for its leaf shape) and the Emperor moth, whose caterpillars feed on the tree. The documentary showed how the countless caterpillars' faeces literally rain down on the ground, providing fertiliser for the plants they feed on.

Most interesting was how the local people harvest the fat caterpillars (they look like 10-12cm in length and 4-5 cm in girth). Because the leaves which the insects eat are poisonous, the harvesters have to catch the caterpillar and squish them alive with their hands until the bright green goo (half-digested leaves gunk) comes out of the thing, before they can boil and eat them. Poor caterpillar!!