Host plant choice in the comma butterfly–larval choosiness may ameliorate effects of indiscriminate oviposition

Abstract

In most phytophagous insects, the larval diet strongly affects future fitness and in species that do not feed on plant parts as adults, larval diet is the main source of nitrogen. In many of these insect-host plant systems, the immature larvae are considered to be fully dependent on the choice of the mothers, who, in turn, possess a highly developed host recognition system. This circumstance allows for a potential mother-offspring conflict, resulting in the female maximizing her fecundity at the expense of larval performance on suboptimal hosts. In two experiments, we aimed to investigate this relationship in the polyphagous comma butterfly, Polygonia c-album, by comparing the relative acceptance of low-and medium-ranked hosts between females and neonate larvae both within individuals between life stages, and between mothers and their offspring. The study shows a variation between females in oviposition acceptance of low-ranked hosts, and that the degree of acceptance in the mothers correlates with the probability of acceptance of the same host in the larvae. We also found a negative relationship between stages within individuals as there was a higher acceptance of lower ranked hosts in females who had abandoned said host as a larva. Notably, however, neonate larvae of the comma butterfly did not unconditionally accept to feed from the least favorable host species even when it was the only food source. Our results suggest the possibility that the disadvantages associated with a generalist oviposition strategy can be decreased by larval participation in host plant choice.

Host associations of Coenonympha hero (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in northern Europe: microhabitat rather than plant species

“…In particular, in enclosures with multiple plant species, eggs may be laid on non-host plants due to the confounding effect of the proximity of higher ranked hosts while one substrate designs are free of this problem. In such experiments, the number of eggs laid during a certain (short) period of time is a measure of host acceptability Tammaru 2004, 2006;Gamberale-Stille et al 2014;Friberg et al 2015).…”

The induction of larval resource preference in heterogeneous habitats

“…Changes in resource preference can facilitate dietary niche shifts (Agosta 2006), potentially leading to divergence in host-associated traits (Singer & McBride 2010). However, many larvae also exhibit resource choice (Jermy et al 1968;Berdegue & Trumble 1996;Bernays & Weiss 1996;Gamberale-Stille et al 2014) and are capable of exploring different habitat patches over smaller spatial scales (Abbott & Dukas 2016). However, many larvae also exhibit resource choice (Jermy et al 1968;Berdegue & Trumble 1996;Bernays & Weiss 1996;Gamberale-Stille et al 2014) and are capable of exploring different habitat patches over smaller spatial scales (Abbott & Dukas 2016).…”

“…Most studies of resource choice in holometabolous insects have analysed only adult preference, as it is often well correlated with larval performance (Dethier 1959;Jaenike 1978;Gripenberg et al 2010). However, many larvae also exhibit resource choice (Jermy et al 1968;Berdegue & Trumble 1996;Bernays & Weiss 1996;Gamberale-Stille et al 2014) and are capable of exploring different habitat patches over smaller spatial scales (Abbott & Dukas 2016). Thus, even though adult oviposition preference often determines larval resource use, it is important to study larval choice in spatially heterogeneous environments, where larval preference may also contribute substantially to larval fitness.…”

“…Thus, even though adult oviposition preference often determines larval resource use, it is important to study larval choice in spatially heterogeneous environments, where larval preference may also contribute substantially to larval fitness. Under such conditions, it is possible that resource choice is not the sole domain of the adult, and may instead be shared across stages (Wiklund 1975;Chew 1977;Berdegue et al 1998;Gamberale-Stille et al 2014;Abbott & Dukas 2016). However, because larval preference is relatively understudied, we do not know the impact of larval preference on larval fitness in heterogeneous environments.…”

Insect host plant selection in complex environments

“…Recently, the role that pathogenic and beneficial organisms have on insect choices has also received considerable attention [5][6][7][8]. Furthermore, in some species the larval stages are able to leave the plant chosen by the female and select new host plants themselves [9,10]. This would reduce the selective pressure on female preference in relation to larval diet and allow more emphasis on needs directly connected to female or egg survival.…”