Data, programming code and figure file for Homem-de-Carvalho et al. (2024): "A review and meta-analysis of host-plant selection by lepidopteran larvae: no evidence of diet breadth constraints on larval decision-making"

Information processing by herbivorous insects can impair the accuracy of decision-making during host-plant selection. Consequently, insects with a narrower diet breadth are expected to be more accurate decision-makers, as they cope with a smaller set of relevant stimuli. However, in groups in which larvae and adults have distinct ecological specializations (<i>e.g.</i>, Lepidoptera) it remains to be explored whether these constraints on adult female decision-making also occur at the larval stage. Here, we conducted a systematic review and a meta-analysis to assess the decision-making accuracy of lepidopteran larvae exposed to host-plant olfactory and visual cues. Our meta-analysis showed that caterpillars, irrespective of diet breadth, were consistently accurate in discriminating among their host plants through olfaction. Moreover, our review identified different scenarios in which larval vision plays an important role in host-plant selection, sometimes even as a priority over olfactory information. Our results highlight how caterpillars integrate different sensory modalities to accurately locate their host plants, and indicate that ecological constraints in host-plant selection may vary across insect life stages.