This is my mustard plant! Bug out!

BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Scientists have discovered insects at the root of mustard plants and insects on the plant's leaves use it like a chemical telephone.

A team of researchers led by Roxina Soler, an ecologist at the Netherlands Institute for Ecology, are not sure how widespread the phenomenon is.

When an underground insect starts chowing down on the plant's roots, it sends a chemical warning alarm through the leaves to let leafeaters know the plant is taken.

Recent studies have revealed different types of aboveground insects develop slowly if they feed on plants that harbor subterranean residents and vice versa.

So the green phone lines keep insects from unintentionally competing for the same plant.

The subterranean insects can also communicate with a third party via the biophone, namely the natural enemy of caterpillars ¢w parasitic wasps.

The chemicals emitted by the leaves give the wasps information about the occupancy of different plants. Since the parasitic wasps lay their eggs inside aboveground insects, they would do well to stop by plants unoccupied by the underground root-eaters.

(Agencies)