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Food‐aversion learning in two polyphagous caterpillars, Diacrisia virginica and Estigmene congrua
Author(s) -
DETHIER V. G.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
physiological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1365-3032
pISSN - 0307-6962
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3032.1980.tb00242.x
Subject(s) - biology , petunia , larva , taste aversion , ingestion , botany , food science , taste , biochemistry , gene
. Two species of woolly bear caterpillars, Diacrisia virginica and Estigmene congrua , were shown by behavioural tests to prefer Petunia hybrida to five of nine common food‐plants. Ingestion of Petunia causes acute illness from which most individuals recover. After recovery larvae no longer prefer Petunia. The potential value of food‐aversion learning to polyphagous insects is discussed.