Feeding Specialisation and Host Distribution of British and Finnish Prunus Feeding Macrolepidoptera

Abstract

Of 81 macrolepidopteran species found in both Britain and Finland, 46 feed on Prunus species in both countries, 19 feed on Prunus species in Britain but not in Finland and 18 feed on Prunus species in Finland but not in Britain. In Finland all the Prunus feeding species feed on Prunus padus which is the most abundant Prunus species. In Britain 80% of the Prunus feeding species feed on P. spinosa which is the most abundant Prunus species. In both Britain and Finland P. domestica is the second most important host, 34% of the British and 22% of the Finnish species being found on it. Significant species-area relationships exist for both Finnish and British Prunus species. In general the shared species of macrolepidoptera show the same feeding specialisation, i.e. generalists are generalists in both Finland and Britain, nevertheless certain host specific species in Finland are generalists in Britain and vice versa. Insect taxonomy, familial characteristics and geographical limits of host plants and insect species all contribute to the changes seen in feeding specialisation from country to country