Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Assessment of egg load by Pieris brassicae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)

Nature volume 266, pages 352–355 (1977)Cite this article

Abstract

IF offered a choice of cabbage or Reseda the large white butterfly (Pieris brassicae) first lays a certain number of eggs on the former food-plant and then oviposits on Reseda. We have found that several cues enable the butterfly to ‘assess’ the egg load present on a plant or leaf, and at the appropriate moment switch to the previously less acceptable species. Overloading is thus avoided. Feeding larvae and damaged foliage are also deterrents to oviposition.

Access through your institution
Buy or subscribe

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. David, W. A. L. & Gardiner, B. O. C. Bull. ent. Res. 53, 91–109 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Rothschild, M., Gardiner, B. O. C., Valadon, G. & Mummery, R. Proc. R. ent. Soc. Lond. C 40, (4) 13 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Gilbert, L. E. in Coevolution of Animals and Plants (eds Gilbert, L. E. & Raven, P. H.) 210–240 (University of Texas, 1975).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Ma, W. C. & Schoonhoven, L. M. Ent. exp. appl. 16, 343–357 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Rothschild, M. Proc. R. ent. Soc. Lond. C 39 (4) 16 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Vinson, S. B. A. Rev. Ent. 21, 109–133 (1976).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Vinson, S. B. Ann. ent. Soc. Am. 68, 381–384 (1975).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Prokopy, R. J. Env. Ent. 4, 298–300 (1975).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Hurter, von J., Katsoyannos, B., Boller, E. F. & Wirz, P. Z. angew. Ent. 80, 50–56 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Chew, F. S. dissertation, Yale Univ. (1974).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ashton, Peterborough

    MIRIAM ROTHSCHILD

  2. Laboratorium voor Dierfysiologie, Landbouwhogeschool, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    L. M. SCHOONHOVEN

Authors
  1. MIRIAM ROTHSCHILD
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. M. SCHOONHOVEN
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

ROTHSCHILD, M., SCHOONHOVEN, L. Assessment of egg load by Pieris brassicae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). Nature 266, 352–355 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/266352a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/266352a0

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing