2017-07-102017-07-102015-04BERGAMINI, L. L.; ALMEIDA-NETO, M. Female preference and offspring performance in the seed beetle Gibbobruchus bergamini Manfio & Ribeiro-Costa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): a multi-scale comparison. Neotropical Entomology, Londrina, v. 44, n. 2, p. 328-337, Apr. 2015.e- 1678-8052http://repositorio.bc.ufg.br/handle/ri/12051The search for and choice of oviposition sites are a key step in the life cycle of herbivorous insects. Theory predicts that natural selection should favor the discrimination ability of female insects to select between high- and low-quality oviposition sites. However, correlation between female preference and offspring performance is apparently lacking or even negative in some herbivore-plant systems. A possible explanation for this seeming failure is that most studies have focused on a single factor and spatial scale. Here, we investigated the preference-performance relationship in the seed beetle Gibbobruchus bergamini Manfio & Ribeiro-Costa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). We took into account several potential factors affecting oviposition choices and larval survivorship through a multi-level approach. Hierarchical analysis that controlled for the non-independence of observations demonstrated that oviposition site choices were not related to the factors that most influenced larval survivorship. The apparent effects of other pod-feeding herbivores were greater at the plant and branch scales while at the pod level the most important factors were plant-related variables. Oviposition choices seemed to be timeconstrained, meaning that females have little opportunity to further increase off spring performance through additional compensatory choices.engAcesso AbertoBruchinaeHerbivoryResource aggregationSeed predationScale dependenceArtigo10.1007/s13744-015-0294-5