HIPV plume (herbivore-specific signal) Mechanical damage dust (no signal) Caterpillar (herbivore) Parasitoid wasp
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Herbivore-Induced Plant Volatiles Simulator

This simulator visualizes a tritrophic chemical-ecology interaction. A plant under attack from a chewing herbivore detects herbivore-specific chemical cues and releases a distinctive blend of herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) into the air. Parasitoid wasps that specialize in hunting that herbivore track the plume upwind, locate the plant, and attack the pest — reducing further damage. Trigger mechanical (wind) damage instead to see that identical leaf tearing without an herbivore produces no meaningful plume and never attracts a wasp, showing the recruitment signal is tied to the herbivore's specific chemical signature rather than damage in general.