Plant Diversity May Explain Why Some Caterpillars Are Fussy About Their Food

Why Some Caterpillars are Picky Eaters

While numerous insects feast on a wide array of foods, certain species are surprisingly selective with their diets. Many herbivorous insects, including a variety of caterpillars, will only consume specific plants or even limit themselves to a single family of plants. This raises the question: what drives such picky eating habits among these insects?