Editing Bracken (section)

=== In insects ===
[[Hydrogen cyanide]] is released by the young fronds of bracken when eaten by mammals or insects.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Amelot ME|first=Alonso|date=February 2005|title=Kinetics of the natural evolution of hydrogen cyanide in plants in neotropical Pteridium arachnoideum and its ecological significance|journal=Journal of Chemical Ecology|volume=31 | issue = 2|pages=315–31|doi=10.1007/s10886-005-1343-z|pmid=15856786|bibcode=2005JCEco..31..315A |citeseerx=10.1.1.517.4271|s2cid=30063246}}</ref> Two major insect [[moulting]] hormones, alpha [[ecdysone]] and 20-hydroxyecdysone, are found in bracken. These cause uncontrollable, repeated moulting in insects ingesting the fronds, leading to rapid death.<ref>{{cite journal | title= Insect Hormones: Alpha Ecdysone and 20-Hydroxyecdysone in Bracken Fern|journal= Science|volume=157 |pages=1436–1438|date=22 September 1967 |doi= 10.1126/science.157.3795.1436 |pmid= 6037858 |issue=3795|last1= Kaplanis |first1= J. N. |last2= Thompson |first2= M. J. |last3= Robbins |first3= W. E. |last4= Bryce |first4= B. M. |bibcode= 1967Sci...157.1436K|s2cid= 37746757}}</ref> Bracken is currently under investigation as a possible source of new [[insecticide]]s.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Jbilou R, Amri H, Bouayad N, Ghailani N, Ennabili A, Sayah F |title=Insecticidal effects of extracts of seven plant species on larval development, α-amylase activity and offspring production of ''Tribolium castaneum'' (Herbst) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) |journal=Bioresour. Technol. |volume=99 |issue=5 |pages=959–64 |date=March 2008 |pmid=17493805 |doi=10.1016/j.biortech.2007.03.017 |bibcode=2008BiTec..99..959J }}</ref>