Papilio machaon - osmetrium

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In article <36F55B43.E67D4799 at shs-partner.de>,
  dilling at shs-partner.de wrote:
> Hello everybody!
>
> I have some questions about the P. machaon osmetrium:
>
> The host plants for P. m. in central europe are umbelliferae like
> Foeniculum vulgare, Anethum graveolens, Daucus carota and so on. These
> plants offer anisaldehyde as a substitute 'lure" ingredient for citral,
> offered by citrus plants in mediterranean countries.
>
> 1. The osmetrium smells like concentrated orange flavor. Is the
> anisaldehyde transformed into citral or another molecule by the larvae?
> What are the chemical processes within this secondary metabolism?
>
> 2. What is the osmetrium good for? Most books say it's a security
> mechanism for not being eaten. I saw pictures of P. m. pupae with
> entoparasites (wasp larvae) so that 'weapon' doesn't make sense to me.
> Is it supposed to work with birds? I don't think so.
>
> 3. Does one know when and how evolution decided to give papilionidae
> this strange organ?
>
> Thanks for your interest,
> bye for now
>
> Martin
>
>

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