Comparison of electroantennogram responses by females of the black swallowtail butterfly, Papilio polyxenes, to volatiles from two host-plant species

Abstract

Females of many butterfly species make use of visual cues and nonvolatile chemicals on the plant surface to recognize their host plants for oviposition. For the black swallowtail butterfly, Papilio polyxenes F. (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae), whose host range in North America includes various species of Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), plant odor provides additional cues for host plant selection. Volatiles from carrot (Daucus carota L.), a typical host species, increased both the landing frequency of females and the number of eggs laid in laboratory experiments with surrogate plants (Feeny et al., 1989).