EFFECTS OF EGG SIZE, LAYING ORDER AND LARVAL DENSITY ON PERFORMANCE OF EPIRRITA-AUTUMNATA (LEP, GEOMETRIDAE)

Size of successively laid eggs decreased in the egg clutch of Epirrita autumnata. The laying order of the eggs in autumn had a significant e ffect on the development of the eggs the following spring; larvae from the first-laid eggs hatched first. First-hatched larvae grew slightly larger than the ones that hatched last. Pupal mass, total number of e ggs laid, number of fertile eggs, and proportion of unfertilized eggs did not differ among siblings originating from the different parts of the female's egg clutch. Rearing larvae solitarily or in groups did no t differentially affect the performance of individuals originating fro m successively laid egg groups. Larger, earlier laid eggs of E. autumn ata did not perform better than smaller, later laid eggs.