Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.07.30.228544v1?rss=1 Authors: Castagneyrol, B., van Halder, I., Kadiri, Y., Schille, L., Jactel, H. Abstract: Conspecific insect herbivores co-occurring on the same host plant interact both directly through interference competition and indirectly through exploitative competition, plant-mediated and enemy-mediated interactions. The situation is however less clear when interactions among conspecific insect herbivores are separated in time over the course of the same growing season such as in multivoltine herbivore species. We hypothesized that early season herbivory would result in reduced egg deposition and lower next generation herbivore performance on previously attacked plants. We experimentally tested this hypothesis in a choice experiment with box tree moth females, Cydalima perspectalis Walker (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), offered box trees, Buxus sempervirens L. (Buxaceae), that had been, or not, previously defoliated by BTM larvae earlier in the season. We further compared the performance of next generation larvae on previously damaged vs undamaged plants. Prior herbivory had no effect on egg laying behaviour, but next generation larval weight was significantly lower in previously damaged plants. There was a negative correlation between the number of egg clutches per plant and larval performance. Altogether, our findings reveal that early season herbivory reduces the performance of conspecific individuals on the same host plant later in the plant growing season, and that this time-lagged intraspecific competition results from a mismatch between female oviposition preference and the performance of its offspring. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info