Feeding responses and food preferences in the tropical, fruit-feeding butterfly, Bicyclus anynana

In the tropical butterfly Bicyclus anynana (Nymphalidae) essential components of fitness (such as fecundity and longevity) depend to a large degree on exogenous adult-derived nutrients, particularly carbohydrates. We investigated which of the nutrients/compounds found in the adult diet act as feeding stimuli, and whether butterflies show preferences for particular nutrients or combinations. Only sugars and alcohols acted as feeding stimuli, the highest responses being found for sucrose, glucose, ethanol, butanol and propanol. Various other compounds (e.g. amino acids, acetic acid, vitamins, lipids, salts, and yeast) did not elicit any probing or feeding responses. Behavioural tests revealed a clear preference hierarchy for sugars (sucrose > glucose > fructose > maltose), but not for alcohols. Butterflies did not discriminate between sucrose solutions enriched with different nutrients and plain sucrose solutions, although they showed a preference for acetic acid and an aversion to salts and ascorbic acid when offered in combination with sucrose. Throughout, both sexes showed very similar patterns. We conclude that locating carbohydrate sources seems sufficient to cover all the butterflies’ nutritional needs, while alcohols function primarily as long range signals, guiding the butterflies to food sources. Thus, fruit-feeding butterflies, in contrast to nectar-feeding butterflies, appear not to have distinctive preferences for e.g. amino acids or salts, but do share a common primary preference for sucrose.