Feeding on Non-Host Plants by the Tobacco Hornworm (Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)

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Abstract
Feeding responses of M. sexta larvae reared on artificial diet, a host plant (jimsonweed) and a nonhost plant (cowpea) were tested with leaves of 4 selected nonhost plants and compared. Larvae reared on diet and the host plant fed equally on collard, dandelion and cowpea while the diet-reared larvae found mullein more acceptable than did the jimsonweed-reared larvae. Both groups of larvae found mullein and collard significantly more acceptable than cowpea of dandelion. Larvae reared on the nonhost plant readily ate all 4 test plants. Acceptance of nonhost plants increased the longer the larvae fed on cowpea. Larvae were fed initially on cowpea for varying lengths of time and then transferred to either diet or jimsonweed. Acceptance of the test plants was not as great and took place more slowly in larvae transferred to jimsonweed. The possible chemosensory basis of this feeding behavior is discussed.

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