We kicked off this project in 2023 to tackle a deceptively simple question: How do the cocoons of Amynthas tokioensis know when to hatch—timing emergence for survival and reproduction?
These cocoons can rest quietly in the soil for months, biding their time. We set out to uncover the cues that drive this timing, and how temperature shapes their hidden life cycle.
Spring clock. Hatching peaks in March–May despite variable conditions.
In the lab, we tracked more than 1,000 cocoons incubated at eight constant temperatures (5–40 °C) for nine months. In the field, we paired four years of Vermont soil-temperature data with biweekly hatching observations from spring through fall.
Key findings
- Narrow thermal window: ~72% hatching at 10 °C; warmer conditions caused arrested development or embryo death.
- Spring synchronization: Even fully developed embryos waited until March—evidence of an internal clock.
- Endogenous rhythm: Hatching stops after June, regardless of conditions—an inbuilt seasonal cycle.
- Ecological payoff: Tight spring emergence likely boosts survival and helps invasive Amynthas establish in temperate regions.
Published
This work appeared in Applied Soil Ecology (July 2025). Data and R scripts are on Zenodo.
