A Technique for Measuring Intraspecific Variation in Oviposition Preference in Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Intra‐population variation in oviposition preference of Helicoverpa armigera was examined using two testing techniques; oviposition choice experiments with free flying females in cages of two sizes, and a novel technique in which tethered insects were brought in contact with the test leaf discs by the experimenter. Though individual females differed in oviposition preference, most ranked maize, sorghum and tobacco highest, followed by cotton. the least preferred plants were cowpea and lucerne. However, a few of the females had quite different preferences both from the majority and between each other. Individual females consistently ranked plants in the same order within a test across days and across tests, regardless of the order in which testing procedures were used. the use of the tethered insect technique in assessing host preference of H. armigera is discussed.