Moths, attack

Early cessation of shoot growth (tortrix moths attack the tip of the shoot). 

Resistance to Microorganisms and Insects. Resistance of triacetate to microorganisms, based on soil-burial tests, is high, approaching that of polyester, acryUc, and nylon fibers. Sod-burial test results on acetate, triacetate, and cotton are shown in Figure 8. Neither acetate nor triacetate fiber is readdy attacked by moths or carpet beedes. 

Wool, as a keratin, is a highly cross-linked, insoluble proteinaceous fiber, and few animals have developed the specialized digestive systems that aUow them to derive nutrition from the potential protein resource. In nature, these few keratin-digesting animals, principally the larvae of clothes moths and carpet beetles, perform a useful function in scavenging the keratinous parts of dead animals and animal debris (fur, skin, beak, claw, feathers) that ate inaccessible to other animals. It is only when these keratin-digesting animals attack processed wool goods that they are classified as pests. Very often they enter domestic or industrial huildings from natural habitats such as birds nests. 

However, not all natural enemies are fully effective. For example, the gypsy moth has approximately 100 parasites and predators attacking it but the pest reaches outbreak levels periodically (35). Nearly 40 biological control agents were introduced from Europe and Asia to control the moth and 11 of these became established (44). Yet not one of the 11 blocontrol agents is providing fully effective control, although each contributes to some limitation of this pest. 

The use of insecticidal agents on wool to prevent attack by moth and beetle larvae. 

From the hair-pencils of butterflies in Danainae and Ithomiinae (Papilion-oidea Nymphalidae), a wider variety of pyrrolizines (la-d, and 6a-d) have been identified than from Arctiidae moths. These compounds are biosynthesized from pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are included in host plants fed by the larvae and protect them from the attacks of other herbivores [122]. In addition to novel lactones (7, 8a, and 8b) derived from an acid part of the alkaloids, many volatiles of more than 100 compounds (aromatics, terpenoids, hydrocarbons, and others) constitute scent bouquets of the male butterflies [123]. For example, the hair-pencil of Idea leuconoe (Danainae) which is distributed in South-East Asia contained 16 compounds (6b, 8a, 8b, 9, and others), and a mixture of the major volatiles applied to a butterfly dummy elicited an abdomen-curling acceptance posture in the females as a crude extract of the male hair-pencils did [ 124]. A chiral GC analysis revealed the absolute config-... 

A pair of meadowlarks, for example, may feed their nestlings up to 10,000 grasshoppers, plus many other kinds of bugs. Aphids and codling moth pupae are favorite winter foods for several bird species. Clusters of aphids left on strong, established plants that can tolerate them will make a "nursery" for parasitic wasps and predators to feed and breed on. So give nature a chance before you take action against a pest attack you may find that the job has been done for you. 

Varieties of sunflower (Helianthus annums, Asteraceae) that are resistant to attack by larvae of the sunflower moth (Homeosoma electellum) contain high concentrations of trachyloban-19-oic acid and (-)-16-kauren-19-oic acid in their florets (84,132). 

Acharya, L. and Fenton, M. B. (1992). Echolocation behavior of vespertillionid bats (Lasiurus cinereus and Lasiurus borealis) attacking aerial targets including arctiid moths. Canadian Journal of Zoology IQ 1292-1298. 

Fullard, J. H., Simmons, J. A. and Saillant, P. A. (1994). Jamming bat echolocation the dogbane tiger moth Cycnia tenera times its clicks to the terminal attack calls of the big brown bat Eptesicus fuscus. Journal of Experimental Biology 194 285-298. 

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