1975] 
Erickson — Papilio polyxenes 
1 1 1 
occurred (Polunin i960). Cultivated plant species are often larger 
in size, have larger seeds or seed sets, have more rapid and uniform 
seed germination, lose defensive structures such as hairs, thorns, or 
spines, and display improved palatability and nutritive content com- 
pared to their corresponding wild relatives. 
The domestication of plants involves more than simply modifying 
the genetics of a species, because reciprocal adaptations between the 
domesticated (cultivated) species and the domesticator (man) are 
required. The domestication and cultivation of plants is in sorts a 
two way street; it may bring about ecological, social, and/or genetic 
changes in man as man has brought these changes to the plants. 
Selection for increased yield or increased productivity of the edible 
part of a crop species does not necessarily mean an increase in pri- 
mary production. Above a certain point, increased yield must come 
at the sacrifice of some other adaptive use of energy (Cody 1966). 
As an example, generally increasing the yield of wheat decreases the 
amount of straw which is a fundamental part of the plant’s self- 
productive maintenance equipment (Odum 1971). Is it then possible, 
when breeding for increased palatability, yield, or nutritive content 
in cultivated plant species, to alter or decrease the inherent defensive 
mechanisms of the plants involved, be they physical, chemical, or both? 
The purpose of this study is to examine this question in detail, 
utilizing the oligophagous butterfly, Papilio polyxenes , whose larvae 
feed on a variety of cultivated and wild or weedy species of the 
carrot family, the Umbelliferae (Chittenden 1909, Forbes i960, and 
others). Many umbellifer species upon which these larvae feed, have 
been cultivated for centuries, primarily for spices and condiments for 
prepared foods (Buttery et al. 1968, French 1971, Kasting et al. 
1972), and for medicinal or toxic drugs (Muenscher 1951, Kings- 
bury 1964). Umbellifer plants are a major source of various vita- 
mins (especially vitamin A) and minerals essential for proper growth 
in man (Lewis and Rubenstein 1971) as well as insects (Fraenkel 
I 953> Dadd 1957)- Through studies of larval growth efficiency and 
food plant utilization, comparisons as to the relative adequacy of each 
host plant species, cultivated versus wild, can be determined. 
Methods and Materials 
Eggs of P. polyxenes were taken from the second generation of a 
culture founded from wild insects taken near Ithaca, New York and 
reared in the laboratory on carrot ( Daucus carota ) . A minimum of 
15 and a maximum of 20 eggs were placed on each of 32 umbellifer 
