Architectural changes in larval leaf shelters of noctuana haematospila (lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) between host plant species with different leaf thicknesses

Abstract

Insect-food-plant associations have been shown to be influenced by the chemical, physical and nutritional characteristics of plants. We suggest that among insect larvae that use leaf material to build shelters, food-plant use may be constrained by differences in host leaf structure, illuminating a rarely investigated aspect of insect-plant interactions. To explore the potential effects of leaf structure on shelter building behavior in a Neotropical skipper butterfly, we investigated shelter building patterns on two congeneric food-plants that varied in leaf thickness. Shelter architecture varied significantly between hosts, with thicker leaves requiring longer cuts to construct shelters. The relationship between shelter building behavior and leaf structure is discussed in relation to selection pressures on larval shelters and food-plant choice. © 2010 Sociedade Brasileira de Zoologia.