Constancy versus flexibility in oviposition: host choice behavior in a hawkmoth.

Area of Science:

• Entomology
• Behavioral Ecology
• Chemical Ecology

Background:

• Ovipositing insects assess host plant suitability using innate preferences and learned information.
• Oviposition learning suggests experienced insects may exhibit host constancy, preferring previously encountered hosts.
• The transition between different host species in insects remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate oviposition behavior and host constancy in the tobacco hawkmoth, Manduca sexta.
• To explore how Manduca sexta transitions between known (Solanaceae) and less-studied (Martyniaceae) host plants.
• To determine if prior experience influences host selection in Manduca sexta.

Main Methods:

• Observing freely flying Manduca sexta moths in a large tent environment.
• Analyzing revisitation patterns of moths within and between plant clusters.
• Assessing host plant preference following prior experience with specific plant species.

Main Results:

• Hawkmoths revisited plant clusters multiple times before searching for new hosts.
• Moths demonstrated an immediate increase in preference for a plant species after prior experience.
• Experienced moths often targeted clusters of the same species after moving, indicating oviposition constancy.
• Despite constancy, experienced moths occasionally selected novel hosts, retaining flexibility.

Conclusions:

• Manduca sexta exhibits oviposition constancy, favoring familiar hosts after gaining experience.
• Revisitation behavior and immediate preference shifts suggest learning mediates host selection.
• The tobacco hawkmoth balances host constancy with flexibility, allowing exploration of new resources.