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Geographical variation in host plant utilization in the comma butterfly: the roles of time constraints and plant phenology

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Abstract

What is the role of time-constraints in determining geographical variation in the resource use of organisms? One hypothesis concerning phytophagous insects predicts a local narrowing of host plant range at localities where a short development time is important (because an additional generation per season is only just possible), with increased specialization on host plants permitting fast development. To test this hypothesis, populations of the polyphagous comma butterfly (Nymphalidae: Polygonia c-album) from five European areas (localities in Norway, Sweden, England, Belgium and Spain) were sampled and the preferences of laboratory-reared female butterflies were investigated, by a choice test between Salix caprea and the fastest host Urtica dioica. The results suggest that females of both of two northern univoltine populations (time-stressed from Norway and time-relaxed from Sweden) accept the slow host S. caprea to a higher degree than females of more southern populations with partial additional generations (time-stressed). We thus found partial support for the tested hypothesis, but also conflicting results that cast doubt on its broad generality. Moreover, a split-brood investigation on Swedish stock demonstrated that larval performance is similar on S. caprea and U. dioica early in the summer, but that later in the season S. caprea is a much inferior host. This is reflected by a seasonal trend towards specialization on U. dioica and also provides a simpler explanation than the time-constraints theory for avoidance of S. caprea (and other woody hosts) in areas with two or more generations of insects per year, illustrating the importance of plant phenology as a constraint on resource use in phytophagous insects. Absolute and relative larval performance on the two hosts varied little among populations across Europe, but lower survival on S. caprea in the populations most specialized on U. dioica and related plants may be indicative of performance trade-offs.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Hans Van Dyck for help with acquiring Belgian stock and Bertil Borg and an anonymous reviewer for useful comments on drafts. The manuscript is dedicated to the memory of Runar Krogen, devoted entomologist and fellow fan of Polygonia butterflies. Krogen delivered the Norwegian stock for this study and made important field and experimental observations used as background information. This study was supported by grants from the Swedish Research Council to SN.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden

    Sören Nylin, Georg H. Nygren & Lina Söderlind

  2. Butterfly Monitoring Scheme, Museu de Granollers Ciències Naturals, Francesc Macià, 51, 08402, Granollers, Spain

    Constantí Stefanescu

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  1. Sören Nylin
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  2. Georg H. Nygren
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  3. Lina Söderlind
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  4. Constantí Stefanescu
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Correspondence to Sören Nylin.

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Nylin, S., Nygren, G.H., Söderlind, L. et al. Geographical variation in host plant utilization in the comma butterfly: the roles of time constraints and plant phenology. Evol Ecol 23, 807–825 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-008-9274-0

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