Behavioral responses in feeding to green color as visual stimulus with two lepidopteran larvae, Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Noctuidae) and Milionia basalis pryeri Druce (Geometridae)

Abstract

Larvae of armyworm, Spodoptera litura, a polyphagous leaf-eater and the monophagous Milionia basalis pryeri feed more on a diet gel containing chlorophyll b in the light. Chlorophyll b acts as a visual stimulus to feeding rather than as a gustatory or odor stimulus. Furthermore, the larvae are found significantly more frequently on gels placed on silhouettes of gels containing chlorophyll b than on that of colorless gels. This reveals that the larval response to the color of chlorophyll b is orthokinetic rather than tactic. S. litura and M. b. pryeri larvae are able to distinguish between colors since consumption varied according to the wavelength of the green silhouettes. Feeding differences between the two species may be due to the color of their host plants. These are novel findings that indicate lepidopteran larvae recognize the green colors of their host plants.