Feeding Stimulant in Cinnamomum camphora for the Common Bluebottle, Graphium sarpedon nipponum (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae)

Abstract

The acceptance of camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora) as a host plant for the larvae of common bluebottle (Graphium sarpedon nipponum) was explained by the presence of feeding stimulants in the leaves. When the active methanol extract of C. camphora leaves was separated into hexane and water layers, both layers showed high feeding activities for the larvae of G. sarpedon nipponum. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the hexane layer resulted in the isolation of a highly active compound, which was identifi ed as α-linolenic acid by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Foraging Behavior of the Blue Morpho and Other Tropical Butterflies: The Chemical and Electrophysiological Basis of Olfactory Preferences and the Role of Color

“…Plant odors, which are complex blends of dozens, if not hundreds of chemicals, are thought to have specific compounds, unique for different plants that are attractive to insects (e.g., [13]). It has been shown that electroantennographic responses can be elicited from butterflies with volatiles collected from the leaves of their corresponding host plants (e.g., [19][20][21]). Butterflies can be stimulated to lay eggs on certain plants by specific volatile compounds, as well as deterred from doing so by others (e.g., [22][23][24][25][26][27]).…”