Movie 1

Jump preparation consists of two phases: loop formation and loop compression. The larva plants one end of its body, slides the other end towards the first, and forms a circular loop held together by a latch mechanism. The larva begins hydrostatically pressurizing its body, compressing the loop, and forming a hinge at the posterior third of its body. Filmed at 200 fps, played back at 20 fps.

Adhesive latching and legless leaping in small, worm-like insect larvae

G. M. Farley, M. J. Wise, J. S. Harrison, G. P. Sutton, C. Kuo, and S. N. Patek

Journal of Experimental Biology 2019. 222:None-None; doi: 10.1242/jeb.201129