Flexible habitat choice by aphids exposed to multiple cues reflecting present and future benefits

Abstract Mothers choose suitable habitats for laying offspring to maximize fitness. Because habitat quality varies in space and time, mothers gather information among available through multiple cues reflecting different aspects of at present the future. However, it is unclear how females assess integrate associated with current rewards future safety optimize oviposition/larviposition decisions, especially across small spatial scales. Here, we tested individual interactive effects leaf surface, orientation, bending direction on larviposition site choice fitness benefits wheat aphids (Metopolophium dirhodum) within leaves. We found that preferred upper over lower surfaces gaining food-related rewards, downward- upward-facing avoiding potential abiotic risks, sunken protruding biotic risks. When facing conflicting during larviposition, downward-facing/sunken surfaces, suggesting prioritize cost decision making. Most importantly, our combined-cue experiments showed still assessed secondary (i.e., surface) when first-ranked are available, even though only gained relatively cues, can a multiplicative way make flexible complex decisions. Overall, findings provide new insights into animals collect process multi-cue