Interactions between Chromolaena odorata (Asteraceae) and Pareuchaetes pseudoinsulata (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)

Summary Feeding of Pareuchaetes pseudoinsulata caterpillars caused the leaves of Chromolaena odorata to turn yellow. Leaf yellowing could not be induced either by artificial removal of leaves or by drenching the plant with a solution of excreta from P. pseudoinsulata caterpillars. Yellow leaves appeared tougher but had the same energy level as that of green leaves. The amount of nitrate-nitrogen was significantly higher in yellow leaves than green leaves. P. pseudoinsulata caterpillars prefer to feed on green leaves. When forced to feed on yellow leaves, they exhibit slow growth and high mortality. Defensive factors in plants attacked by insects seemed to prevent further infestation of plants. In the field, caterpillars on the yellow plants were found during both day and night whereas on green plants they appeared to feed at night and hide in the ground at daytime.