Instar susceptibility of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) to the neogregarine parasite, Ophryocystis elektroscirrha.

The susceptibility of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) larvae to the neogregarine parasite, Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, was tested in the laboratory. Spore loads recovered from infected monarch butterflies were directly related to the inoculum level, larval stage of the host, and spore age. There was a linear relationship between spores ingested by first instar larvae and spore concentration. Larvae feeding on leaves treated with 0, 50, 500, 5000, or 50,000 spores averaged 0, 0, 193, 457, or 1,255 spores, respectively, on the abdomens of the adult butterflies. When first, third, and fifth instar larvae were given 14.5 spores/mg of body weight, there was no significant difference in the spore load of the adults resulting from the first and third instars. However, there were significant differences in the spore load from adults resulting from the first and third instars versus the fifth instar. In addition, 1-year-old spores were not as infectious as fresh spores. Our findings indicate that under field conditions, the first instar is most likely to become infected because one spore appears sufficient to produce a detectable spore load in the adult. Older instars are less susceptible and have fewer opportunities to encounter sufficient viable spores for infection to occur. Thus, vertical transmission appears to be the primary mode of parasite maintenance in natural populations of monarch butterflies.