T. Masumoto et al., HOST-PLANT CONSPICUOUSNESS AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF EGGS AND LARVAE INTHE BUTTERFLY, ANTHOCHARIS-SCOLYMUS (LEPIDOPTERA, PIERIDAE), Researches on population ecology, 35(2), 1993, pp. 241-250
We investigated how the distribution pattern of eggs and larval on the
host plant, Turritus glabra, was influenced by the oviposition behavi
or of the pierid butterfly Anthocharis scolymus. Females searched for
the host plants visually and they frequently approached taller host pl
ants with sparse surrounding vegetation. After encountering host plant
s, oviposition behavior of females was independent of host plant chara
cteristics 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 surv
ival rate of larvae.