2 
Psyche 
[March-June 
tropical forests (Young, 1971b) that makes these butterflies suitable 
candidates for the study of butterfly community structure in the 
tropics. In the Caribbean premontane wet forests of Costa Rica, 
there occur at least three species of Parides whose adults are often 
found together on the same flowers in forests: P. areas mylotes, P. 
childrenae, and P. sadyattes. Another subspecies of P. areas , namely 
mycale , is also seen in association with these species. As an initial 
approach to determining the ecological factors responsible for the 
co-occurrence of these similar species as a functional Mullerian 
mimicry complex (Young, 1971b), studies have been conducted on 
the life cycle, food plants, and other aspects of butterfly biology, for 
all of these species in Costa Rica. To date, the biological data for 
P. areas mylotes (Bates) both in the laboratory (Young, 1972a) 
and held (Young, 1971b; 1972a) has been the most extensive for 
these species. This paper touches upon various aspects of biology in 
this species not covered in the previous studies. Other reports will 
subsequently appear concerning the biology of the remaining species. 
Godman and Salvin (1879-1901) mention that P. areas mylotes is 
common in the Pacific and Caribbean lowlands of Central America, 
ranging from southern Mexico to Costa Rica. Thus the widespread 
geographical distribution of the butterfly throughout Central America 
makes it an even more attractive species to study from the standpoint 
of the effects of local selection pressures on natural history and life 
cycle. 
Methods 
The studies summarized here are: habitat selection, life cycle, 
larval food plant acceptance, and behavior of immatures and adults. 
Life cycle and larval food plant acceptance were examined in the 
laboratory, while the other studies were conducted in the field at two 
localities. At various times between late 1968 and mid- 1970, field 
studies of P. areas mylotes were conducted at Finca la Selva, a region 
of relatively undisturbed premontane tropical wet forest (elev. about 
90 m) located on the confluence of the Rio Puerto Viejo and Rio 
Sarapiqui. During the months of July and August 1972, the butter- 
fly was studied at Finca Tirimbina, a forest site located about 8 km 
west of Finca la Selva and at the basal belt transition zone (about 
200 m. elev.) between montane and premontane tropical wet forest. 
Habitat selection was studied by observing feeding and egg-laying 
activities of adults at various places in the forest, both at “La Selva” 
and “Tirimbina”. At La Selva, habitat selection was studied spo- 
