Effects of the cultivation of genetically modified Bt crops on nontarget soil organisms - Microbial Ecology in Sustainable Agroecosystems - page 203

Table 8.9 Summary of the Effects of the Cultivation of Bt Crops or Amendment with Bt Protein on Selected Nontarget Lepidopteran and Aquatic
Insect Larvae

Species/
classification

Bt crop plant/
experimental variable

Organism(s) Study location Protein Effect on organism(s) Source

Monarch butterfly
larvae

Danaus
plexippus

Laboratory Fed milkweed leaves

dusted with pollen
from Bt maize (Event
N4640), pollen from
non- Bt maize, or no
pollen

Cry1Ab D. plexippus reared on

milkweed leaves
dusted with Bt pollen,
ate less, grew more
slowly, and suffered
higher mortality

Losey et al.
(1999)

Monarch butterfly
larvae

Danaus
plexippus

Field Bt maize (Event 176,

Bt 11) and non- Bt
maize pollen
naturally deposited
on Asclepias syriaca
(common milkweed)

Cry1Ab Caused significant

mortality of D.
plexippus larvae after
48 hours and 120
hours

Jesse and
Obrycki
(2000)

Black swallowtail
butterfly larvae

Papilio
polyxenes

Field Potted host plants with

larvae placed along
fields of Bt maize
(Event MON810)

Cry1Ab No effect of proximity

to the Bt maize field
or Bt pollen
deposition on host
plants

Wraight et al.
(2000)

Monarch butterfly
larvae

Danaus
plexippus

Laboratory Larvae fed purified Bt

toxins, pollen from Bt
maize applied directly
to milkweed leaf
disks, and Bt pollen
with tassel material
applied directly to
milkweed leaf disks

Cry1Ab
Cry1Ac
Cry9C
Cry1F

Purified Cry9C and
Cry1F had minimal
effect; first instars were
sensitive to Cry1Ab
and Cry1Ac
Bt 176 maize pollen
had a consistent
negative effect on
larvae

Hellmich et
al. (2001)

(continued)