Data for the manuscript entitled: "Spider mites collectively avoid plants with cadmium irrespective of their frequency or the presence of competitors"

Data for the collective host choice and performance of spider mites (2023data.xlsx; adultF.xlsx; cleanpplants.xlsx; Fecnozero.xlsx): 200 Tetranychus urticae females were placed in an arena connected to the 4th leaf of 5 tomato plants. The plants were either contaminated with cadmium (3 mM) or cadmium-free and were either uninfested or infested with 100 T. evansi females. Mites were allowed to chose a host for 24 hours. After this period the number of females on each plant was registered, as well as the number of eggs laid. In the cases where there were plants infested with T. evansi the leaves were collected and kept for 14 days until the following generation of adul females of each specias was counted.Data for the individual choice of T. urticae (Habitat_Choice_G14_SR1.xlsx): T. urticae females were placed in a plastic strip connecting two plant leaf discs, one made from the 3rd or 4th leaf of one cadmium-free plant and the other made from the 3rd or 4th leaf of plant with cadmium (2 mM). Mites were allowed to chose a leaf disc for 24 hours. After this period the choice of each female was registered, as well as the number of eggs laid on each leaf disc.Data for the individual performance of T. urticae (Habitat_Choice_G14_SR1.xlsx): T. urticae females were placed in leaf disc made from the 3rd or 4th leaf of either a cadmium-free plant or plant with cadmium (2 mM). Mites were allowed to lay eggs for 48 hours. After this period the number of eggs laid on each leaf disc.Each excel file has a read me sheet including the information needed to interpret the data sheet.<br><br>

二斑叶螨（Tetranychus urticae）集群寄主选择与适合度相关数据（对应文件：2023data.xlsx、adultF.xlsx、cleanpplants.xlsx、Fecnozero.xlsx）：将200头二斑叶螨雌成螨接入连接5株番茄第4片叶的行为试验箱（arena）中。供试番茄植株分为两类：一类经镉（Cadmium，3 mM）污染处理，另一组为无镉对照；植株同时设置两种侵染状态：未接虫，或接入100头埃瓦叶螨（Tetranychus evansi）雌成螨。允许叶螨自主选择寄主时长为24小时，试验结束后记录每株番茄上的雌成螨数量及产卵量。对于接有埃瓦叶螨的植株，采集其叶片并保存14天，随后统计各物种下一代雌成螨的数量。<br><br>二斑叶螨单头寄主选择试验数据（对应文件：Habitat_Choice_G14_SR1.xlsx）：将单头二斑叶螨雌成螨置于连接两张植物叶碟的塑料条上，其中一张叶碟取自无镉番茄植株的第3或第4片叶，另一张取自经2 mM镉（Cadmium）污染处理的番茄植株的第3或第4片叶。允许叶螨自主选择叶碟时长为24小时，试验结束后记录每头雌成螨的选择结果，以及每张叶碟上的产卵量。<br><br>二斑叶螨单头适合度试验数据（对应文件：Habitat_Choice_G14_SR1.xlsx）：将单头二斑叶螨雌成螨置于取自无镉或2 mM镉（Cadmium）污染番茄植株第3或第4片叶的叶碟上，允许其产卵时长为48小时，试验结束后记录每张叶碟上的产卵量。<br><br>所有Excel文件均附带“数据说明工作表（read me sheet）”，内含解读数据工作表所需的全部信息。