Territorial-like defensive behavior of floral resources by Heliconius ethilla narcaea Godart over H. sara apseudes (Hübner) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Heliconiinae)

Abstract

The use of nectar and pollen of a bromeliad by two heliconiine butterflies, Heliconius ethilla narcaea Godart, 1819 and H. sara apseudes (Hübner, [1813]) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Heliconiinae), is herein reported. Observations were made during a pollination study of Aechmea gracilis Lindman (Bromeliaceae, Bromelioidea) in a second-growth forest of the village Vila Dois Rios, Ilha Grande, Rio de Janeiro State, southeastern Brazil. Field observations showed that H. ethilla can be more aggressive than H. sara in exploiting A. gracilis floral resources. Temporal differences in the use of these resources were also observed: H. sara remained comparatively less time on flowers than H. ethilla

Butterflies show flower colour preferences but not constancy in foraging at four plant species

“…Learning to prefer different flower colours could be beneficial if two butterfly species are competing for resources. For example, the difference in spontaneous flower preferences shown by the two Lycaena species could be due not to dissimilar perceptual capabilities but to ecological factors such as aggressive competition for floral resources, as was observed in two Brazilian Heliconius species (Rocha & Duarte, 2001). Although the flower units of A. alpicola and E. speciosus did not differ in either nectar volume or concentration, it is also possible that the two Lycaena species could respond differently to other floral characteristics such as amino acid composition of the nectar and/or flower scent.…”

“…In this light, it is interesting that L. heteronea and L. rubidus preferred different flower species (and presumably colours). For example, the difference in spontaneous flower preferences shown by the two Lycaena species could be due not to dissimilar perceptual capabilities but to ecological factors such as aggressive competition for floral resources, as was observed in two Brazilian Heliconius species (Rocha & Duarte, 2001). First, two butterfly species may prefer different flower colours due to innate or learned preferences.…”

Insects and allies associated with bromeliads: a review

“…Seventy-four forest sites in the Bolivian Andes and adjacent lowlands contained 188 bromeliad species whose pollination modes were judged as 115 by birds, 45 by insects, 14 by bats, eight self-pollinated, and six mixed; terrestrial forest bromeliads showed mainly insect pollination as did bromeliads at arid sites (Kessler and Kromer, 2008). In eastern Brazil, the butterfly Heliconius ethilia narcaea Godart was more aggressive than H. sara apseudes (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Heliconiidae) when both were exploiting nectar and pollen of Aechmea gracilis Lindman (Rocha and Duarte, 2001). In eastern Brazil, visits to Aechmea , Billbergia , Nidularium , Tillandsia , and Vriesia bromeliads, were recorded as 62.5% by butterflies to Tillandsia spp., and 72–96% by hummingbirds to species of the other four genera (Varassin and Sazima, 2000).…”