OVIPOSITION PREFERENCE HIERARCHY OF BRACHYS TESSELLATUS (COLEOPTERA, BUPRESTIDAE)

For insects whose offspring complete development at the site of ovipos ition, as with most leafminers, maternal oviposition preference is ver y important in determining offspring success. If these insects use sev eral host plants, the evolution of oviposition preference hierarchies is expected, with the patterns of preference for any given host corres ponding to larval performance on that host. We examined the ovipositio n preference hierarchy of Brachys tessellatus (F.), a Buprestid leafmi ning beetle, on 5 Quercus species that the beetle has been observed to use as host plants. Two laboratory experiments were performed, involv ing a combination of no-choice and e-choice behavioral trials. Pattern s of preference in the wild was also assessed using a survey of egg de nsities on hosts in the field. The 2 laboratory behavioral trials reve aled identical preference hierarchies, with preference for Quercus mar ylandica > Q, laevis > Q. incana > Q. ni,ora > Q. margaretta. These re sults contrasted with the observations in the wild where egg densities reflected the pattern Q. laevis > Q. marylandica > Q. incana > Q. nig ra > Q. margaretta. This variation for the 2 most preferred hosts sugg ests that the laboratory results may not reflect environmental effects such as host abundance and sun versus shade effects that may influenc e the patterns of oviposition site preference observed in the wild.