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Conspecific host discrimination by ovipositing Euphydryas editha butterflies: Its nature and its consequences for offspring survivorship
Author(s) -
Mackay Duncan A.
Publication year - 1985
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/bf02515482
Subject(s) - biology , survivorship curve , larva , ecology , host (biology) , nymphalidae , offspring , montane ecology , population , lepidoptera genitalia , butterfly , zoology , demography , cancer , pregnancy , genetics , sociology
Summary Ovipositing E. editha butterflies display post‐alighting discrimination among patches of Collinsia torreyi , one of their major hosts in the General's Highway (GH) population at a montane site in California. Females tended to accept (i.e. oviposit on) dense patches of this host and to reject sparse patches. Possible behavioural mechanisms underlying this tendency are discussed. The consequences of this non‐random pattern of oviposition for egg and larval survivorship were investigated and no differences were found in the survivorship of larvae on acceptable and unacceptable collinsias.