Post by Paul on Aug 1, 2005 17:12:56 GMT
I found the following article about how caterpillars use certain plants containing toxic Pyrrolizidine alkaloids to kill parasites:
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4722233.stm
What is interesting is that I did some more research on these substances and they are extremely toxic:
www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc080.htm
..but many insects like bees and caterpillars can tolerate them. In fact, one plant containing them called Physalis peruviana is listed on the Lissachatina host plants list:
www.petsnails.co.uk/docs/afulica_hostplants.html
I need to cross-check a few more and try and find out more about invertebrate tolerance. Why are the caterpillars not susceptible if, in the bbc article's case, the fly-larvae parasites are?
But it's an interesting lead to a possible treatment....
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4722233.stm
What is interesting is that I did some more research on these substances and they are extremely toxic:
www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc080.htm
..but many insects like bees and caterpillars can tolerate them. In fact, one plant containing them called Physalis peruviana is listed on the Lissachatina host plants list:
www.petsnails.co.uk/docs/afulica_hostplants.html
I need to cross-check a few more and try and find out more about invertebrate tolerance. Why are the caterpillars not susceptible if, in the bbc article's case, the fly-larvae parasites are?
But it's an interesting lead to a possible treatment....