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Dryad

Data on female oviposition behaviour of the Pararge aegeria butterfly in outdoor cages (2019–2020)

Data files

Mar 22, 2023 version files 430.85 KB

Abstract

We studied oviposition behavior in a butterfly (Pararge aegeria) that used to be confined to forest, but recently colonized anthropogenic areas too. This provides an ideal study system when trying to understand the underlying processes of niche expansion and colonisation success. The dataset produced allows us to test to what extent ecotype origin (agricultural vs. forest landscape types) and larval developmental conditions (open field  vs. canopy-covered forest floors) affect multiple features of oviposition behahaviour. We also performed multiple behavioural trials per individual and considered changes in oviposition site preference within and over trials. 

The two provided files contain all behavioral or independent variables that were obtained during behavioural tracking of the oviposition behaviour of the Speckled Wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria) in an outdoor cage in 2019 and 2020.

In the 'femdata' file, each line contains all dependent (e.g., proportion of time spent active) and independent variables (e.g. ecotype)  that apply for a single observation trial of 30 minutes of a single individual.In total, 211 observation trials were performed, by 110 different female individuals. 

In the 'ovimdata' file, each line contains all variables for a single oviposition bout (i.e., if a butterfly curls its abdomen on a surface and lays eggs).  Examples include number of eggs per bout, the height above ground where an egg was laid and temperature at the egg laying site. These data were for example used to track changes over consecutive bouts within a single trial. In total 275 oviposition bouts were observe, laid by 85 different female individuals.

Data of the ovimdata file were also implemented in the femdata file. For example, in the femdata file information can be obtained about the properties of the first oviposition bout an individual made during that trial (starting with 'b1').