Arctia caja

However, in the case of dietary alkaloids, it would seem that more than only traces of alkaloids, which do not exhibit selective toxicity to antagonist organisms, would be needed for defensive purposes. These trace alkaloids probably have a role in the organism s metabolism, development and behaviour. The traces of alkaloids in the eggs of Arctia caja also suggest a potential participation of these compounds in reproduction. Moreover, attention should be given to the fact that alkaloids are dietary sequestrations acquired from feeding on plants. 

Arctia caja Danaus piexippus Danaus chrysippus Idea ieuconoe Tyria jacobaeae Utethesia omatix Utethesia pulchelloides... 

LEPIDOPTERA Arctia caja Danaus piexippus Danaus chrysippus... 

Figure 98. A diagram of the accumuiation of pyrroiizidine aikaloids in some insect species during various developmentai stages. It shouid be noted that it is not often that these aikaloids are present in the eggs, as in the case of the Arctia caja. Natural sources are pyrroiizidine alkaloid-rich plant species Senecio spp., Homoptera Senecio and Adenostyles spp., Coleoptera and Senecio, Adenostyles, Petasites, Crotalaria and Heliotropium spp., Lep-idoptera).

Dalman Arctia caja L. Polyphagous Larva Hair brushes Rothschild, 1972b,c Rothschild et al 1979 Bisset et al., 1959, 1960 Rothschild... 

Aplin, R. T. and Rothschild, M. (1972). Poisonous alkaloids in the body tissues of the garden tiger moth (Arctia caja L.) and the cinnabar moth (Tyria (= Callimorpha) jacobaeae L.) (Lepidoptera). In Toxins of Animal and Plant Origin, eds. A. de Vries and K. Kochva. pp. 579-595. London Gordon and Breach. 

Bisset, G. W., Grazer, J. F. D., Rothschild, M. and Schachter, M. (1959). A choline ester and other substances in the garden tiger moth, Arctia caja (L.). Journal of Physiology 146 38-39. 

Pheromones. 84. The sex pheromone complex of the arctiid moth Arctia caja (Lepidoptera Arctiidae). Z. Naturforsch. C, 47,132-135. 

Hydroxytryptamine Ananas comosus (Bromeliaceae), Hippophae Tiger moth (Arctia caja)... 

The best-studied group of acquired alkaloids are the pyrrolizidines, which are produced by plants, especially in the families Asteraceae and Boraginaceae (502). Some arctiid larvae of Tyria Jacobaea, Cycnia men-dica, Amphicallia bellafrix, Arginia cribaria, and Arctia caja were shown... 

Spilosoma lubricipeda Arctia villica Arctia caja... 

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids Senecionine (D 17.1) Taken up by larvae of the moth s Arctia caja and Tyria jacobaeae from food source Senecio sp.), stored in the body, deterring birds... 

A relationship similar to that between tyrosine and dopamine exists between the amino-acid tryptophan and the brain substance serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (Figure 8.9). Tryptamine is known in the venom of scorpions, while serotonin is found widely in the venom of honeybees, centipedes, and at least two spiders. Serotonin is not found in the venom of ants or solitary wasps but social wasps have it in quantity, as much as 1 pg per insect. It is present in the barbs of the larvae of the Tiger moth Arctia caja (Plate 11) and a satumid butterfly larva. Their origins in insect venoms are presumably from phenylalanine but this has not been proven. The same substance is in the hairs of the common stinging nettle Urtica dioica. 

Plate 11 Larva of the moth Arctia caja, with its long urticating hairs, which contain the alkaloid serotonin (Photo Jens Christian Schou)... 

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