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Updated: Sep 11, 2025
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Offspring performance does not explain oviposition preference in the leafminer Stigmella sorbi (Lepidoptera:
Mikhail V Kozlov1, Vitali Zverev1
1Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
Insect Science
|August 11, 2025
Summary
Female pygmy moths (Stigmella sorbi) may prioritize their own survival over offspring success when selecting egg-laying sites on rowan plants. This optimal foraging behavior influences insect distribution patterns.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Entomology
Background:
- Non-random insect distribution on plants is often assumed adaptive, but empirical evidence is frequently lacking.
- Oviposition site selection is crucial for both female reproductive success and offspring survival.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test preference-performance and optimal foraging hypotheses regarding herbivorous insect oviposition.
- To evaluate the adaptiveness of egg distribution for pygmy moth (Stigmella sorbi) larvae and females on rowan (Sorbus aucuparia).
Main Methods:
- Examined larval mine distribution as a proxy for egg distribution across rowan plant structures.
- Monitored larval survival, parasitism rates, and cocoon weight in relation to mine density and position.
- Conducted long-term field study in northwestern Russia (1992-2007).
Main Results:
- Larvae survived best on long vegetative shoots, but females showed no shoot preference.
- Females preferentially oviposited on basal leaflets, a behavior not linked to offspring survival.
- Mine clumping increased early larval mortality but did not affect parasitism or cocoon weight.
Conclusions:
- Findings do not fully support preference-performance or apparency hypotheses.
- Oviposition behavior may optimize female fitness (e.g., reduced exposure) over immediate offspring performance.
- Insect distribution patterns can be explained by optimal foraging strategies prioritizing female well-being.
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