Cecropins isolated from insects other than Hyalophora cecropia (Cecropia moth) have been given various names; bactericidin, lepidopteran, sarcotoxin, etc.
In August 2012, a cecropia moth caterpillar was accidentally imported from Ontario to St. John’s, Newfoundland, via a shipment of dogwood shrubs.
Their discovery represented the first example of an antimicrobial peptide produced in the skin of an animal, and complemented prior studies by Hans Boman of Sweden in the Cecropia moth, and Robert Lehrer (US) in rabbit white blood cells (defensins), supporting the widespread existence of antimicrobial peptides throughout nature.
The Drosophilia Yippee protein was originally discovered in a yeast interaction trap screen when it was found to physically interact with Hyalophora cecropia Hemolin.