Tritrophic interactions reinforce a negative preference–performance relationship in the tobacco hornworm ( Manduca sexta )

Host plants that promote development of insect herbivores are sometimes less preferred to more toxic plants, which are co‐opted for protection from natural enemies, resulting in higher fitness in communities with strong top‐down control. However, the degree to which variation in growth rate and risk of natural enemy attack drive insect plant preferences is an open question, with little field data available across diverse plant families. The...