editha host plants

[Neil Jones]

On 17 Jan, in article
     <5.0.2.1.2.20020117142717.00bca2e0 at mail.it.su.se>
     Niklas.Wahlberg at zoologi.su.se "Niklas Wahlberg" wrote:

> 
> At 08:27 16.01.2002 -0800, Richard Worth wrote:
> >Actually bayensis, down in Santa Clara County, CA, uses two native hosts, 
> >Owl's clover, a scroph like Castilleja, and Plantago erecta. I believe the 
> >larva starts feeding early in the spring on one, and then moves over to 
> >the other host a little later to finish development (not sure the order of 
> >plants used).  I recall slope angle and aspect as factors in this 
> >behavior, too.  Though the plants are in different families maybe there 
> >are chemical similarities that allow "an easy switch" or maybe one is just 
> >"lettuce" to munch on to finish development.????  But it seems there  is 
> >certainly some recent evolution in the host use of editha over a wide 
> >distribution.  What do other races of editha use as hosts throughout the 
> >range in the west?  Anyone?
> >
> >Rich


They use quite a few plants Pedicularis and Penstemons are other species
recorded. The key factor appears to be the presence of certain Iridoid 
Glycosides in the plants.


-- 
Neil Jones- Neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk http://www.nwjones.demon.co.uk/
"At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the
butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog
National Nature Reserve


 
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