Lepidoptera, nutrition

Delisle, J. and Hardy, M. (1997). Male larval nutrition influences the reproductive success of both sexes of the spruce budworm, Christoneura fumiferana (Lepidoptera Tortricidae). Functional Ecology 11 451 163. 

These acids are very important in human nutrition.1193 1 (See also Box 21-B.) In the absence of adequate essential fatty acids oleate is desaturated and elongated in a similar sequence to the unusual 20 3 (A5 8 11 co9) acid. Vertebrate tissues also carry out desaturation at the A4 and A3 positions.111 Lepidoptera, which synthesize a great diversity of pheromones, are rich in unusual desaturases such as the gland-specific acyl-CoA A11 desaturase of cabbage looper moths.120... 

Kumar, J.S., Kumar, N.S., 2011. Production efficiency of cocoon shell of silkworm, Bombyx mori L. (Bombycidae Lepidoptera), as an index for evaluating the nutritive value of mulberry, moms sp. (Moraceae), varieties. Psyche A Journal of Entomology 2011, 1—3. 

For less potent chemicals, their effect on such correlates of fitness as growth rate, ultimate size, or fecundity are monitored. The design of bioassays for these experiments are similar to those used to identify stimulants or deterrents through differences in consumption. One exception is that nonnutritive substrates usually are not used except when the nutritional value of the test chemical is being tested explicitly. Artificial diets are widely used for Lepidoptera because of the relatively wide availability of artificial diets for this group. The technique of applying chemicals to known hosts is used for other species where no suitable artificial diet is known (see sections 5.4.1.2-5.4.1.5). 

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