Ovarian dynamics in relation to host quality in the Walnut‐infesting Fly, Rhagoletis juglandis

Abstract

Summary Reproductive behaviour is routinely studied with a view towards characterizing how an animal responds to variation in resource abundance and quality. This characterization is less commonly made with respect to reproductive physiology. In the Walnut‐infesting Fly, Rhagoletis juglandis, ovarian development is cued by the presence of the host fruit resource. In this study, I examined how ovarian development was affected by two host characteristics that relate to competition in the juvenile stages: fruit size and presence of conspecific larvae. Large fruit promoted egg maturation more than small fruit, and uninfested fruit promoted maturation more than larval‐infested fruit. Both effects were reproduced with artificial models of fruit. The functional significance of these effects and ramifications for individual‐level dynamics in oviposition behaviour are discussed.