What is a Lepidopteron insect?
A lepidopteron insect is a family of insects that is commonly known as the butterfly family. And so the European corn borer is one example of the lepidopteron insect; the Monarch butterfly is another; the black swallow-tail would be a third. So, each strain of Bt works against a different family of insects? There are thousands of different types of Bt proteins, and as they form crystals in the guts of insects, each different protein forms a slightly different type of crystalline structure, and those different Bt’s then are selective for different types of insects. So, for example, you have in one case the Bt that is currently used in corn to control the European corn borer, but a different Bt to control the corn root worm, which is a Coleopteran insect. It’s a different family of insect altogether. Is that why Bt is so effective? That is definitely one of the strong benefits for Bt. It’s very important in any kind of insect control management program to have the target be as specific a
