Abstract
The feeding activity of the silkworm was seriously inhibited when mulberry leaves dipped in 10ppm chlordimeform hydrochloride solution were offered, and when the larvae were topically applied or injected with 100ppm chlordimeform hydrochloride solution. Regarding the feeding behavior, the larvae kept away from mulberry leaves and walked toward the margin of the Petri dish moving their mouthparts in all treatments, and they ceased to eat mulberry leaves. The silkworm larvae were fumigated with 10, 000ppm chlordimeform hydrochloride solution in a plastic cup for 2hr at 25°C, and thereafter the amount of fresh mulberry leaves consumed was measured. Inhibition of feeding was also observed. These results suggest that the antifeeding effects of chlordimeform on the silkworm larvae may not be caused by gustatory and olfactory sensation. The feeding behavior or food selection may be considered as the factors involved in this inhibitory mechanism.
