Ecology and taxonomic identification of āwheto | vegetable caterpillar in Hawke’s Bay, Aotearoa | New Zealand
Āwheto, also known as the vegetable caterpillar, is a taonga (treasure) of Aotearoa | New Zealand, produced when endemic Ophiocordyceps fungi infect ghost moth (Hepialidae) larvae and produce fruiting bodies extending from the infected larvae to above the forest floor. Despite its cultural importance, āwheto ecology is not well documented or understood. Partnering with kaitiaki (guardians), we paired mātauranga (Māori knowledge)-informed soil DNA assays with systematic field surveys to resolve āwheto ecology in a montane native forest.