Social life-styles in caterpillars: Behavioral mechanisms and ecological consequences
type: CreativeWork
description: The present thesis investigates ecological advantages, ethological adaptations, and behavioral mechanisms connected with sociality in larval Lepidoptera. Data on social thermoregulation, larval communication, developmental benefits, and advantages of survival are presented to contribute to a better understanding of the evolution and maintenance of social systems in caterpillars. I put the main emphasis of this work on the highly social, tent building European lasiocampid moth Eriogaster lanestris. In a comparative study aspects of the social biology of E. lanestris were compared to its congener E. catax and the confamilial species Malacosoma neustria. In addition to these tent building, central-place foraging species a fourth, non-tent building nomadic butterfly species, Araschnia levana (Nymphalidae) was also studied. Caterpillars of E. lanestris are behavioral thermoregulators. In the laboratory (i.e. in the absence of solar radiation) tightly aggregated caterpillars are able to rise their body temperatures compared to ambient temperature for 2.5-3K. Temperature gains are based on metabolic heat production (Chapter 4). Under field conditions grouped caterpillars are able to stabilize their body temperatures between 30-35°C independent of ambient temperature as long as solar radiation is sufficient. Optimal body temperatures are achieved by changing positions in and on the tent frequently. The functionality of the tent is based on the reduction of convective heat exchange (Chapter 5). Foraging bouts of E. lanestris caterpillars are highly synchronized under field conditions. The number of foraging bouts is temperature dependent (influence on speed of digestion and walking). Plasticity in foraging patterns optimizes nutrient uptake and therefore minimize developmental time (Chapter 6). Caterpillars of E. lanestris use trail pheromones for communication. The pheromone is applied by dragging the ventral median sternite of the last abdominal segment over the substrate.…
abstract: The present thesis investigates ecological advantages, ethological adaptations, and behavioral mechanisms connected with sociality in larval Lepidoptera. Data on social thermoregulation, larval communication, developmental benefits, and advantages of survival are presented to contribute to a better understanding of the evolution and maintenance of social systems in caterpillars. I put the main emphasis of this work on the highly social, tent building European lasiocampid moth Eriogaster lanestris. In a comparative study aspects of the social biology of E. lanestris were compared to its congener E. catax and the confamilial species Malacosoma neustria. In addition to these tent building, central-place foraging species a fourth, non-tent building nomadic butterfly species, Araschnia levana (Nymphalidae) was also studied. Caterpillars of E. lanestris are behavioral thermoregulators. In the laboratory (i.e. in the absence of solar radiation) tightly aggregated caterpillars are able to rise their body temperatures compared to ambient temperature for 2.5-3K. Temperature gains are based on metabolic heat production (Chapter 4). Under field conditions grouped caterpillars are able to stabilize their body temperatures between 30-35°C independent of ambient temperature as long as solar radiation is sufficient. Optimal body temperatures are achieved by changing positions in and on the tent frequently. The functionality of the tent is based on the reduction of convective heat exchange (Chapter 5). Foraging bouts of E. lanestris caterpillars are highly synchronized under field conditions. The number of foraging bouts is temperature dependent (influence on speed of digestion and walking). Plasticity in foraging patterns optimizes nutrient uptake and therefore minimize developmental time (Chapter 6). Caterpillars of E. lanestris use trail pheromones for communication. The pheromone is applied by dragging the ventral median sternite of the last abdominal segment over the substrate.…
author: Ruf, Claudia
date published: 2003-02-28
date modified: 2026-07-27T18:49:33Z
provider: Universität Bayreuth
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Universität Bayreuth