[Sam6late]

BTW, Caffeine is also a naturally occurring insecticide, yet humans tend to repurpose and hack things.

[barbacoa]

Some argue that THC in cannabis actually works similarly because when herbivores regularly ingest it, they become lethargic and lazy, causing them struggle to survive in the world. Kinda like my roommate.

[hammock]

Ibotenic acid, muscarine, psilocybin, amanitin, muscimol, THC, caffeine - these all natural pesticides target bugs primarily. Which are the biggest threat. Sort of funny how it also affects people though

[LPisGood]

I thought it wasn’t generally psychoactive until heated?

[shaneofalltrad]

But cannabis the needs heat to convert, it’s more likely it evolved with Human influence considering the years of overlapping land races tied to our trade routes

[heavyset_go]

It's a phytochemical that degrades readily in sunlight, it's likely both a UV protectant and aversive.

[bdbdbdb]

That's, like, your opinion, man

[spike021]

your last sentence reminds me of my dorm roommate in college. very standard stoner who was constantly blazing and years later i've never known a lazier dude.

[jyounker]

It's even weirder than that. It turns out that at very low concentrations caffeine seems to have similar effects on insect neurology as it does on ours. There are some plant species whose flowers produce caffeinated nectar. Bees seem to like these flowers preferentially, and have an easier time remembering where they are. (Yes, bees get buzzed.)

[jacobolus]

There are some flowers which produce tiny amounts of caffeine in their nectar, apparently to give the pollinators a buzz.

[boxed]

All spices basically too afaik.

[h33t-l4x0r]

Chilis, tobacco and tomatoes are all in the same family (nightshades). And they are all "New World" plants. Which means Europe had to live without them until 1600 or so. If you can call that living.

[bamboozled]

Love me some Capsaicin, even though I’m not supposed too (I guess)

[raverbashing]

Capsaicin as well

And birds are immune to it