Corn earworm larvae (a very misleadingly cute name) are like the worst roommates ever. They hatch in the same ear of corn, and the first thing they notice is… oh look, too many mouths, not enough kernels. So instead of peacefully sharing, the older or bigger ones decide to eliminate the competition by eating their siblings. Efficient population control, nature-style.

It’s not even always about hunger—it’s about turf. They’re basically saying, “This cob ain’t big enough for the both of us.” One larva will bite chunks out of its siblings until it’s the only one left to monopolize the buffet. That’s why you’d usually only see one fat, smug worm per ear.

So yes, next time you eat corn, you can thank cannibalism for making sure you didn’t bite into a family reunion.

Want me to also tell you about the lovely little fungal infections that can also set up shop in corn ears, or do you need to keep eating corn in peace for at least another week?

LLM