title: Oviposition preference of cabbage white butterflies in the framework of costs and benefits of interspecific herbivore associations.
abstract: When deciding where to oviposit, herbivorous insects consider: (i) the plant's value as a food source, (ii) the risks of competing with con- and heterospecific herbivores, and (iii) the risks of parasitism and predation on the host plant. The presence of con- and/or heterospecific competitors would further affect the oviposition preference, because the preceding herbivores induce direct/indirect defences in plants against forthcoming herbivores, and thereby alter oviposition decisions. In previous studies, the abovementioned factors have not been studied in an integrative manner. We performed here a case study of this by assessing the oviposition preferences of a small white butterfly, Pieris rapae, for plants occupied by combinations of conspecific larvae, heterospecific larvae (Plutella xylostella), specialist parasitoids of Pi. rapae (Cotesia glomerata) and generalist predators (ants). We previously reported that the females showed equal preference for Pl. xylostella-infested and uninfested plants. Here, we showed that Pi. rapae females preferred uninfested plants to conspecific-infested ones, and Pl. xylostella-infested plants to Pi. rapae-infested ones. We discuss these oviposition preferences of Pi. rapae females in the framework of costs and benefits of interspecific herbivore associations from the above point of view.
authors.affiliation: Center for Ecological ResearchKyoto University2-509-3 Hirano, Otsu, Shiga 520-2113, Japan; The Hakubi Center for Advanced ResearchKyoto UniversityYoshida Ushinomiya, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shiojiri
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam Kruislaan 320, 1098SM Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maurice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sabelis
authors.affiliation: Center for Ecological Research Kyoto University 2-509-3 Hirano, Otsu, Shiga 520-2113, Japan.
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Takabayashi
keywords: Pieris rapae; Plutella xylostella; ants; cabbage plants; oviposition decision