DOI: 10.5061/dryad.866t1g1p6
title: Foraging in nature: contrasting responses to resource heterogeneity at small and large spatial scales.

description: A key problem faced by foragers is how to forage when resources are
 distributed heterogeneously in space. This heterogeneity and associated
 trade-offs may change with spatial scale. Furthermore, foragers may also
 have to optimize acquiring multiple resources. Such complexity of
 decision-making while foraging is poorly understood. We studied the
 butterfly Ypthima huebneri to examine how foraging decisions of adults are
 influenced by spatial scale and multiple resources. We predicted that, at
 a small-spatial scale, the time spent foraging in a patch should be
 proportional to resources in the patch, but at large-spatial scales, due
 to limitations arising from large travel costs, this relationship should
 turn negative. We also predicted that both adult and larval resources
 should jointly affect foraging butterflies. To test these predictions, we
 laid eleven plots, and sub-divided them into patches. We mapped nectar and
 larval resources and measured butterfly behavior in these patches and
 plots. We found that adult foraging behavior showed contrasting
 relationships with adult resource density at small versus large-spatial
 scales. At the smaller-spatial scale, butterflies spent more time feeding
 in resource-rich patches, whereas at the large-scale, butterflies spent
 more time feeding in resource-poor plots. Furthermore, both adult and
 larval resources appeared to affect foraging decisions, suggesting that
 individuals may optimize search costs for different resources. Overall,
 our findings suggest that the variation in foraging behavior seen in
 foragers might result from animals responding to complex ecological
 conditions, such as, resource heterogeneity at multiple spatial scales and
 the challenges of tracking multiple resources.
description: Details of how the data was collected and processed are in the
 manuscript "<b>Foraging in nature: contrasting responses to
 resource heterogeneity at small and large spatial
 scales."</b>
description: ### Columns description for the dataset final (Large spatial
 scale analysis ### File name finalbeh.csv
 ### Code used to run the models<br> # Detailed information
 on models used is available in the analysis section of the
 manuscript<br> ## Behaviour analysis across plots (Large Spatial
 scale)<br> # 1. Sr.no. serial numbers for behavioural
 follows<br> # 2. Plot: List of plots with unique names, 11 levels
 categorical variable<br> # 3. Weather: Descriptive variable, Not
 used in analysis<br> # 4. Date: Date on which behavioural sampling
 was done<br> # 5. tot.scans: Total number of observations recorded
 during an individual follow<br> # 6. fly: Number of observations
 when flying activity was seen<br> # 7. feed: Number of observations
 when feeding activity was seen<br> # 8. median: Median value of
 nectar resources in the study plot<br> # 9. grass: Mean value of
 percent grass cover in the plot # Behaviour analysis
 within plot (small spatial scale)<br> ## File
 name rb12_03_2019.csv ### Columns description for the
 dataset final<br> # 1. subplot: Unique id name of the subplots
 located withing each plot,<br> #             used for the small
 scale analysis<br> # 2. Sr.no. serial numbers for behavioural
 follows<br> # 3. Basking: Number of observations when basking
 activity was seen<br> # 4. Feeding: Number of observations when
 feeding activity was seen<br> # 5. Flying: Number of observations
 when flying activity was seen<br> # 6. Mating: Number of
 observations when mating activity was seen<br> # 7. Ovipositing:
 Number of observations when oviposition activity was seen<br> # 8.
 Resting: Number of observations when resting activity was seen<br> #
 9. Walking: Number of observations when walking activity was
 seen<br> # 10. Total:Total of all the behavioural events added
 up<br> # 11. Justicia: Total number of flowers in the
 subplot<br> # 12. Grass: % Estimate of grass cover in the
 subplot <br> # 13. Plot: List of plots with unique names, 11 levels
 categorical variable<br> # 14. tot.scans: Total number of
 observations recorded during an individual follow<br> # 15. median:
 Median value of nectar resources in the study plot