Selective attention by priming in host search behavior of 2 generalist butterflies

In phytophagous insects such as butterflies, there is an evolutionary trend towards specialization in host plant use. One contributing mechanism for this pattern may be found in female host search behavior. Since search attention is limited, generalist females searching for hosts for oviposition may potentially increase their search efficacy by aiming their attention on a single host species at a time, a behavior consistent with search image formation. Using laboratory reared and mated females of two species of generalist butterflies, the comma, Polygonia c-album, and the painted lady, Vanessa cardui (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), we investigated the probability of finding a specific target host (among non-host distractors) immediately after being primed with an oviposition experience of the same host as compared to different host in indoor cages. We used species-specific host plants that varied with respect to growth form, historical age of the butterfly-host association, and relative pre...在蝴蝶等植食性昆虫（phytophagous insects）中，寄主植物利用特化是一类典型的演化趋势。驱动这一演化模式的潜在机制之一，可通过雌性寄主搜寻行为得以阐释。由于搜寻注意力资源有限，为产卵搜寻寄主的广食性雌性个体，若单次将注意力聚焦于单一寄主物种，或可有效提升搜寻效率，该行为与搜寻意象形成（search image formation）理论相符。本研究以两种广食性蛱蝶的实验室饲养且已交配的雌性个体为实验材料：逗号蛱蝶（*Polygonia c-album*）与赤蛱蝶（*Vanessa cardui*，鳞翅目（Lepidoptera）：蛱蝶科（Nymphalidae）），在室内笼养环境中，对比了经同种寄主产卵预刺激与异种寄主产卵预刺激后，个体在非寄主干扰物中即刻找到特定目标寄主的概率。本研究选用了物种特异性寄主植物，这些植物在生长型、蝶类与寄主的关联历史时长以及相对预……（原文未完结）方面存在差异。