This toxin has an interesting name (1 Viewer)

[Ahsoka]

There is a bacteria that produces a toxin called Mcf, which is short for “Makes caterpillars floppy”. This toxin kills the caterpillar, and as the name implies, makes it floppy as it’s dying.

 

[Ahsoka]

General facts:
@athenaaa @Lexie @Nyaz @Dreamer_of_Songs @Michael @Nina @pinkmelodies @velvet @PrincessChohee @Moguri @rayhere @Harmony_Starz @Chiara @Satan_Occultism

 

[Ahsoka]

@Lord_Angelslayer

 

[Dreamer_of_Songs]

What an interesting name for a toxin.

 

[dark_tranquility]

Those feels for the caterpillar

 

[Snailmin]

Add me to the taglist?

 

[ChiaraStar169]

I shouldn't be laughing bc it robs caterpillars from becoming beautiful butterflies, but I can't help it!

 

[Chohee_nyang]

Why would anyone wanna kill caterpillars by toxin??

 

[Pirioca]

Why would anyone wanna kill caterpillars by toxin??

Species like tent caterpillars can be a problem when they appear in masses.

How to Identify and Control Tent Caterpillars | Gardener’s Path

Tent caterpillars can completely defoliate a tree. Gardener’s Path will help you spot and get rid of them, and explain why you might want to leave them be.

gardenerspath.com

But there's no need to use toxins. Often it just helps to settle their natural enemies like specific insects (wasps, green lacewings) and birds.

When your trees are full of tent caterpillars, there was already an ecological disbalance before. For example, if you remove wasp nests in your garden, who will help decimating pests? Some people don't want ants in their garden but it's a bad idea to get rid of them.

You kill spiders? Better don't do it, they help keeping the ecological balance. Less spiders = way more mosquitoes!

 

[Ahsoka]

Why would anyone wanna kill caterpillars by toxin??

The bacteria do it for the same reason many living things kill other living things, for a food source. This gives them and the nematodes with which they have a symbiotic relationship a nutrient rich source of food.

 

[Ahsoka]

Species like tent caterpillars can be a problem when they appear in masses.

How to Identify and Control Tent Caterpillars | Gardener’s Path

Tent caterpillars can completely defoliate a tree. Gardener’s Path will help you spot and get rid of them, and explain why you might want to leave them be.

gardenerspath.com

But there's no need to use toxins. Often it just helps to settle their natural enemies like specific insects (wasps, green lacewings) and birds.

When your trees are full of tent caterpillars, there was already an ecological disbalance before. For example, if you remove wasp nests in your garden, who will help decimating pests? Some people don't want ants in their garden but it's a bad idea to get rid of them.

You kill spiders? Better don't do it, they help keeping the ecological balance. Less spiders = way more mosquitoes!

I haven’t heard of humans using this toxin, though maybe they do. The bacteria that makes this toxin just uses it to obtain a source of food for themselves and the nematodes that they have a symbiotic relationship with.

 

[Moguri]

that sounds so cruel...

 

[Pirioca]

I haven’t heard of humans using this toxin, though maybe they do.

The bacterium that produces Mcf is called Photorhabdus luminescens.

Photorhabdus luminescens - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

P. luminescens also produces a proteic toxin through the expression of a single gene called makes caterpillars floppy (mcf)

P. luminescens is (most likely) the explanation for a phenomenon called 'Angel's Glow' in the American Civil War.

Why Some Wounded Civil War Soldiers Actually Glowed In The Dark – And Lived Because Of It

"Angel's Glow" was a phenomenon at the Battle of Shiloh where soldiers' wounds glowed in the dark. It took 139 years to figure out why.

allthatsinteresting.com

 

[Ahsoka]

The bacterium that produces Mcf is called Photorhabdus luminescens.

Photorhabdus luminescens - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

P. luminescens is (most likely) the explanation for a phenomenon called 'Angel's Glow' in the American Civil War.

Why Some Wounded Civil War Soldiers Actually Glowed In The Dark – And Lived Because Of It

"Angel's Glow" was a phenomenon at the Battle of Shiloh where soldiers' wounds glowed in the dark. It took 139 years to figure out why.

allthatsinteresting.com

I’ve read about that, that’s actually how I got this fact. But in the story they weren’t intentionally using the bacteria, and I’ve also read that the historical accuracy of the story is doubtful. Even rangers who work at the Shiloh battlefield say there aren’t any verifiable records describing the event actually occurring. The science part seems to be sound though, so it’s something that could happen in theory.

 

[Selfmate]

you came across this information because you're planning on killing some caterpillars??? lol

 

[uran]

If i put it on my *krhm* caterpillar will it die too

 

[Boyo]

Woah.

 

[uran]

If i put it on my *krhm* caterpillar will it die too

Wtf does this even mean past me

 

[Chohee_nyang]

The bacteria do it for the same reason many living things kill other living things, for a food source. This gives them and the nematodes with which they have a symbiotic relationship a nutrient rich source of food.

Ohhh I see, Tysm for the interesting Science info

 

[Chohee_nyang]

Species like tent caterpillars can be a problem when they appear in masses.

How to Identify and Control Tent Caterpillars | Gardener’s Path

Tent caterpillars can completely defoliate a tree. Gardener’s Path will help you spot and get rid of them, and explain why you might want to leave them be.

gardenerspath.com

But there's no need to use toxins. Often it just helps to settle their natural enemies like specific insects (wasps, green lacewings) and birds.

When your trees are full of tent caterpillars, there was already an ecological disbalance before. For example, if you remove wasp nests in your garden, who will help decimating pests? Some people don't want ants in their garden but it's a bad idea to get rid of them.

You kill spiders? Better don't do it, they help keeping the ecological balance. Less spiders = way more mosquitoes!

Yeah because mosquitoes get caught in webs built by spiders!
But I wanna ask why are there mosquitoes present where there are so many plants and trees, cuz in my garden, there are too much mosquitoes.