dust in moths wings

[Rob Thorn]

Poisonous, no, but very allergenic.  I worked in a moth rearing facility
for a bit, and pretty much everyone there became allergic to the cuticle
and scales after only a few weeks.  Human immune systems go nuts over
insect cuticle proteins; it's one of the reasons why insects are not a more
common food item in different cultures.

Rob Thorn


> [Original Message]
> From: OscartheGrouch <Tondaleo at hotmail.com>
> To: <leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
> Date: 7/17/2006 10:20:26 AM
> Subject: Re: dust in moths wings
>
>
> "Targ" <vacuous at voidacious.net> wrote in message 
> news:M5Lug.25501$IU2.5621 at newsfe2-win.ntli.net...
> >I remember being told as a child that if i got any of the dust from a
moth 
> >wings on my hands, i must wash throughly as it was very poisonous.   is 
> >there any truth in that?   what kind of dust would it be anyway?  thanks.
> >
>
> It's not dust, it's very small scales. And poisonous? No.
>
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/
MICROSCALE1.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/micro3.htm&h=
311&w=313&sz=33&hl=en&start=19&tbnid=6QNB3PEmw-mZEM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=113&prev=
/images%3Fq%3Dmoth%2Bscales%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG 
>
>
>
>  
>  ------------------------------------------------------------ 
>
>    For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:
>
>    http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl 
>  



 
 ------------------------------------------------------------ 

   For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:

   http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl