[NatureNS] FW: Lily Beetle Behavior

Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007 10:26:13 -0400
From: "Laviolette, Lance (EXP)" <lance.laviolette@lmco.com>
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Thread-Topic: Lily Beetle Behavior
Thread-Index: AcfKDvE/jUwsJr6jSEKqhyX2w+hL+wAAWDHw
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--Boundary_(ID_hjb6S6bBdYK0sttyj9D4nQ)
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Hi everyone,
 
Since beetles have been a hot topic on the list I thought I'd pass this
email from the eastern Ontario naturelist along. The sender lives in the
Ottawa area.
 
All the best,
 
Lance

=================================================================== 

I have not posted mention of lily beetles this week, but there has been
some scientific interest in a phenomenon noted here recently.  We have
had a very heavy infestation this year, to the point where Linda and I
have not been able to squish them in sufficient numbers to keep them
from eating virtually all the leaves of the lilies up against the house.
 
About ten days ago, I noted them eating a vine growing out from under a
spruce tree ca 5m from the lilies.  The vine was subsequently identified
by Fred as solanum dulcamara, or nightshade, a toxic invasive.  I passed
this information on to Professor Naomi Cappuccino from Carleton
University, who two years ago had visited us and who had one of her grad
students study the beetles as a masters degree thesis, with many
specimens coming from our garden that summer.  This morning, Naomi and
another student, Tonya, visited to take pictures and specimens.
 
This is interesting to me because it may be a case of the beetle taking
up toxins from the nightshade to use for its own defences;
alternatively, it may be that the beetles are desperate for a food
source now that the lilies have been laid waste, although no other
species other than nightshade seems to have attracted the attention of
the beetles to this extent.
 
Douglas Thompson 

--Boundary_(ID_hjb6S6bBdYK0sttyj9D4nQ)
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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN 
class=770042314-19072007>Hi everyone,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN 
class=770042314-19072007></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN 
class=770042314-19072007>Since beetles have been a hot topic on the list&nbsp;I 
thought I'd pass this email from the eastern Ontario naturelist along. The 
sender lives in the Ottawa area.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN 
class=770042314-19072007></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN 
class=770042314-19072007>All the best,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN 
class=770042314-19072007></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN 
class=770042314-19072007>Lance</SPAN></FONT></DIV><BR>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left><SPAN 
class=770042314-19072007></SPAN><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT 
size=2>=<SPAN 
class=770042314-19072007>==================================================================&nbsp;</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have not posted mention of lily beetles this 
week, but there has been some scientific interest in a phenomenon noted here 
recently.&nbsp; We have had a very heavy infestation this year, to the point 
where Linda and I have not been able to squish them in sufficient 
numbers&nbsp;to keep them from eating virtually all the leaves of the lilies up 
against the house.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>About ten days ago, I noted them eating a vine 
growing out from under a spruce tree ca 5m from the lilies.&nbsp; The vine 
was</FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2> subsequently identified by Fred as 
<EM>solanum dulcamara</EM>, or nightshade, a toxic invasive.&nbsp; I passed this 
information on to Professor Naomi Cappuccino from Carleton University, who two 
years ago had visited us and who had one of her grad students study the beetles 
as a masters degree thesis, with many specimens&nbsp;coming from our garden that 
summer.&nbsp; This morning, Naomi and&nbsp;another student, Tonya, visited to 
take pictures and specimens.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This is interesting to me because it may be a case 
of the beetle taking up toxins from the nightshade to use for its own defences; 
alternatively, it may be that the beetles are desperate for a food source now 
that the lilies have been laid waste, although no other species other than 
nightshade seems to have attracted the attention of the beetles to this 
extent.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Douglas Thompson</FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></BODY></HTML>

--Boundary_(ID_hjb6S6bBdYK0sttyj9D4nQ)--

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