Zebra swallowtail butterflies, Eurytides marcellus, were studied in the field to determine (1) whether the behavioural response of a female to host plant individuals, pawpaws (Asimina spp.), correlated with characteristics of the plant foliage, (2) whether selective oviposition improved larval survivorship, and (3) how unpredictable plant qualities affected the translation of female choice into larval success. Females laid eggs preferentially on pawpaws bearing the youngest leaves, while non-hosts and pawpaws bearing mostly mature leaves were rejected before or after the females touched the plant. By rejecting unsuitable plants early in evaluation, females concentrated their time and risk on the plants most likely to provide an oviposition site. Larvae survived longer on oviposition plants than on plants that were rejected, but unpredictable components of plant quality, particularly predation on larvae, could weaken the correlation.
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Damman et al. (1988) studied this question.