Once the experiment was set up, data were then collected on the number of new eggs

found on each plant per day (i.e., every 24 hours). These eggs were subsequently used in the

next part of the experiment (see Egg Parasitism section Page 37). All eggs were removed at

the time of data collection each day. This was to prevent gravid females from passing up these

plants when ovipositing in the following days, due to the possibility of females of that species

having responded to past selection to relieve conspecific egg competition by visually inspecting

host plants for the presence of previously laid eggs. Data collection was repeated on a daily

basis (i.e., every 24 hours) over a 10-day period resulting in 30 replicate host plant at each

transect number (distance from epicenter) for each farm location.

 Egg Parasitism

 The second part of the experiment was to test for egg parasitism at varying distances

from the butterfly farm epicenter. Using eggs from the previous oviposition experiment, a total

of 12 eggs was collected at random from each transect number and retained for use in this egg-

parasitism study. Eggs were collected from the plants every 24 hours, at 8:00 A.M. (this samples

eggs exposed to parasitism incidence from the preceding 24 hours). After collecting these eggs,

they were placed individually in plastic containers covered with a fine mesh rubber-banded on

top to allow air flow but to prevent any exit of the hatched larvae, or hatched parasite. The mesh

also blocked entrance of subsequent searching parasites. Then, the eggs were observed on a

daily basis until emergence of larvae (roughly four days), or parasitoid (Figure 2-5). Data were

then collected on whether butterfly larvae or a parasite emerged.

 Larval Predation

 The final part of the experiment was to test predation effects on larvae of Monarch

butterflies (Danaus plexippus) in north central Florida and Common Morpho butterflies (M~orpho

peleides) in Costa Rica. For each location, two host plant rows were placed radiating out from