Abstract
Grey jays were fed a set of six species of lepidopterans, predicted to be palatable or unpalatable based on their coloration and the fate of ingested host plant allelochemicals. Each of four birds received the entire series of insects. Junonia coenia (Nymphalidae) and Ceratomia catalpae (Sphingidae) were highly palatable as predicted based on their relatively cryptic coloration and lack of chemical defence. Three Euphydryas (Nymphalidae) species were predicted to be unpalatable: larvae and adults are warningly coloured and they sequester iridoid glycosides. However, Euphydryas gillettii was quite palatable, E. anicia was intermediate and E. phaeton was unpalatable. These differences may be due to differences in the iridoid glycoside content of these butterflies. Eumaeus atala (Lycaenidae) sequesters cycasin from its hostplant in the Cycadaceae and larvae and adults are warningly coloured. Adult E. atala were unpalatable.
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