Abstract
YOUR reviewer's observation that one insect's food is another insect's poison, is applicable to a single insect at different stages of development. The scarlet fungus, Agaricus muscarius, derived its name from use in an old-fashioned decoction for fly-papers; nevertheless, it is eaten freely by maggots. Other poisonous fungi, such as A. æruginosus, A. phalloides, Russula emetica, &c, are evidently innoxious to maggots and slugs. With regard to the effect upon more highly organised animals, it may be noted that Boletus luridus is eaten by mice and rabbits, and that squirrels are very partial to several species of Tricholoma and Boletus. I have some doubt as to whether squirrels are not occasionally poisoned by eating fungi, but I have not noticed any suspicious mortality in the case of the rabbits or mice.
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POTTER, H. Insusceptibility of Insects to Poisons. Nature 57, 412 (1898). https://doi.org/10.1038/057412c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/057412c0
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