1973] 
Young — Parides areas mylotes 
19 
( 1 ) The butterfly is a forest species which is most commonly 
encountered along forest edges associated with extensive borders of 
secondary growth vegetation or small forest clearings. 
(2) Habitat selection by adults is governed primarily by two 
factors: (a) the selection of optimal courtship sites by males ex- 
hibiting home range behavior, and (b) the search pattern of mated 
females for suitable oviposition on Aristolochia vines along forest 
borders and in the canopy. 
(33 The larvae of this species are probably warningly-colored, 
since they contrast greatly with the light green leaves of the food 
plant. The pupae are cryptically colored against the same back- 
ground. 
(4) The egg-adult developmental time varies on different natural 
food plants in different localities: on Aristolochia sp. from Finca 
La Selva the developmental time is about 42 days; on A . constricta 
from Finca Tirimbina 53 days. This difference is due to more than 
food plant difference since the egg stage is considerably shorter in 
individuals reared on Aristolochia sp. There appears to have been 
the evolution of different strains in different localities where different 
food plants are also exploited. 
(5) Development is successfully completed on A. labiata but 
unsuccessful on A. veraguensis , A. ringens , A. littoralis, and A. 
gigantea. The inability of young larvae to feed on these species 
may be due to either (a) a lack of contact with those species, or 
(b) the development of narrow food plant specialization. 
(6) The conspicuous coloration (contrast) of the larvae against 
the light green food plant leaves and the known toxic properties of 
the Aristolochiaceae indicate that the larvae are unpalatable to verte- 
brate predators with well developed learning abilities. The un- 
palatability of the larvae is inferred from the known unpalatability 
of the adults of a related species of Parides. The possession of an 
osmeterial defensive organ is interpreted here, on the other hand, as 
being primarily an adaptation of defense against invertebrate (ar- 
thropodan) predators with rather inflexible (instinctive) learning 
abilities. 
(7) The variable oviposition strategy of P. areas mylotes in the 
wild is not strictly single nor is it clustering. Eggs are generally 
laid in loose clusters of two to five eggs on a leaf, and this pattern 
appears to be a modified form of single oviposition. When mated 
females are confined to plastic bags in the laboratory, tight clustering 
of eggs can be induced. Previous studies show that at least one 
tropical species of Battus lays eggs in tight clusters in the wild, 
