Trail-based communication in social caterpillars of Eriogaster lanestris (Lepidoptera : Lasiocampidae)

Caterpillars of Eriogaster lanestris (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) mark trai ls as they move between feeding sites and their communal tent. They prefer new trails over aged ones. Hungry caterpillars prefer trails marked by fed enterpillars returning to the tent. Thus successful foragers direct tentmat es to profitable food finds, in a manner similar to that of Malacosoma amer icanum. E. lanestris readily follows trails prepared from 5 beta -cholestan e-3-one, a component of the trail marker of M. americanum, when applied at a rate of greater than or equal to 10(-10) g/cm. In choice tests, they pref erred more highly concentrated over weaker trails. New trails are always es tablished in groups, and the velocity increases from early to late caterpil lars traversing a new trail.