Movie 2
The larva holds itself in a loop using a latch mechanism and is launched into the air when the latch is released. The sternal spatula is not involved in the latch mechanism, as it is visible as a dark line below the head segment and anterior to the latch. Filmed at 20,000 fps, playback at 20 fps.
Adhesive latching and legless leaping in small, worm-like insect larvae
Journal of Experimental Biology 2019. 222:None-None; doi: 10.1242/jeb.201129