Natal origin affects host preference and larval performance relationships in a tritrophic system

Many insects face the challenge to select oviposition sites in heterogeneous environments where biotic and abiotic factors can change over time. One way to deal with this complexity is to use sensory experiences made during developmental stages to locate similar habitats or hosts in which larval development can be maximized. While various studies have investigated oviposition preference and larval performance relationships in insects, they have largely overlooked that sensory experiences made during the larval stage can affect such relationships. We addressed this issue by determining the role of natal experience on oviposition preference and larval performance relationships in a tritrophic system consisting of Galerucella sagittariae, feeding on the two host plants Potentilla palustris and Lysimachia thyrsiflora, and its larval parasitoid Asecodes lucens. We firstly determined whether differences in host-derived olfactory information could lead to divergent host selection, and secondly, whether host preference could result in higher larval performance based on the natal origin of the insects. Our results showed that the natal origin and the quality of the current host are both important aspects in oviposition preference and larval performance relationships. While we found a positive relationship between preference and performance for natal Lysimachia beetles, natal Potentilla larvae showed no such relationship and developed better on L. thyrsiflora. Additionally, the host selection by the parasitoid was mainly affected by the natal origin, while its performance was higher on Lysimachia larvae. With this study, we showed that the relationship between oviposition preference and larval performance depends on the interplay between the natal origin of the female and the quality of the current host. However, without incorporating the full tritrophic context of these interactions, their implication in insect fitness and potential adaptation cannot be fully understood.