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Host plant conspicuousness and the distribution of eggs and larvae in the butterfly, Anthocharis scolymus (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)
Author(s) -
Masumoto Toshiya,
Nomakuchi Shintaro,
Sawada Kouji
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
population ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1438-390X
pISSN - 1438-3896
DOI - 10.1007/bf02513596
Subject(s) - biology , pieridae , butterfly , host (biology) , lepidoptera genitalia , larva , ecology , zoology , parasitism , lycaenidae , botany
Summary We investigated how the distribution pattern of eggs and larval on the host plant, Turritus glabra , was influenced by the oviposition behavior of the pierid butterfly Anthocharis scolymus . Females searched for the host plants visually and they frequently approached taller host plants with sparse surrounding vegetation. After encountering host plants, oviposition behavior of females was independent of host plant characteristics such as height, density, and type of surrounding vegetation. A female laid eggs singly on a host plants. Most females appeared to lay their eggs regardless of the presense of eggs on the host plant. Consequently egg and larva tended to be abundant on conspicuous host plants as measured by height or relative isolation from other plants. However, overcrowding of eggs on an individual host decreased the survival rate of larvae.