The effects of ingested 20-hydroxyecdysone on the larvae of Aglais urticae, Inachis io, Cynthia cardui (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) and Tyria jacobaeae (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)

A comparative survey was carried out to investigate the effects, distribution and metabolism of ingested 20-hydroxyecdysone in four species of lepidopteran larvae in relation to the phytoecdysteroid content of the insect's host plants, Analysis of the leaves of the host plants of each of the species revealed a strong relationship between the levels of phytoecdysteroids and the relative tolerance of the Larvae to ingested 20-hydroxyecdysone. Monophagous or oligophagous species (Aglais urticae, Inachis io) feeding on ecdysteroid-negative host plants were either deterred from feeding or showed marked abnormalities in growth and development after incorporation of 20-hydroxyecdysone in their diets, Oligophagous or polyphagous species (Tyria jacobaeae, Cynthia cardui) which feed on host plants from families which are known to contain phytoecdysteroid-positive species, were able to tolerate low levels of 20-hydroxyecdysone in their diets, but exhibited developmental defects at high concentrations, These species were termed semi-tolerant, In each of the species, ingested [H-3]20-hydroxyecdysone appeared to follow the same fate as injected [H-3]20-hydroxyecdysone. The data are compared to those obtained in previous studies, where truly polyphagous species were shown to tolerate very high concentrations of 20-hydroxyecdysone in their diets by the production of ecdysteroid 22-fatty acyl esters. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.