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Macaranga  myrmecophytes (ant-plants) are generally well protected from herbivore attacks by their symbiotic ants (plant-ants). However, larvae of  Arhopala  (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) species survive and develop on specific  Macaranga  ant-plant species without being attacked by the plant-ants of their host species. We hypothesized that  Arhopala  larvae chemically mimic or camouflage themselves with the ants on their host plant so that the larvae are accepted by the plant-ant species of their host. Chemical analyses of cuticular hydrocarbons showed that chemical congruency varied among  Arhopala  species;  A .  dajagaka  matched well the host plant-ants,  A .  amphimuta  did not match, and unexpectedly,  A .  zylda  lacked hydrocarbons. Behaviorally, the larvae and dummies coated with cuticular chemicals of  A .  dajagaka  were well attended by the plant-ants, especially by those of the host.  A .  amphimuta  was often attacked by all plant-ants except for the host plant-ants toward the larvae, and those of  A .  zylda  were ignored by all plant-ants. Our results suggested that conspicuous variations exist in the chemical strategies used by the myrmecophilous butterflies that allow them to avoid ant attack and be accepted by the plant-ant colonies.

Various Chemical Strategies to Deceive Ants in Three Arhopala Species (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) Exploiting Macaranga Myrmecophytes