Caterpillar trouble

Schembari3 schembari3 at aol.com
Fri Oct 31 07:59:24 EST 1997


On Oct 29 William Haber Wrote;
>Dear Friends:
>
>        Does anyone have experience with diagnosing, preventing, or
>treating the bacteria and viruses that attack caterpillars, turning them
>into bags of black goop just before they pupate or killing them after they
>have apparently pupated successfully? We have a continuing problem with the
>first in Morpho peleides and with the second in Danaus plexippus.

I believe that the problem with the catepillars dying before they pupate may be
 due to the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. This bacteria is often sold as
 the insecticide Bt. The bacterium produces a protein crystal that is only
 soluble in the alkaline guts of catepillars. This, in turn paralizes the
 catepillars so that the bacterium can digest them at will.

Hope this helps, although  I may be way off target.

Angelo



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