Larval mass and survival data for Maniola jurtina under drought stress, UK

Newly hatched larvae were randomly selected and collected from laboratory stock populations that originated from nine different populations in UK. The larvae were placed (four per plant and all originating from the same laboratory source population) on potted host plants of Poa trivialis (either control or drought-stressed) and reared in netted cages in an outdoor insectary at UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) under natural environmental conditions. The outdoor insectary at UKCEH is an enclosed structure with a solid floor and roof, and 4 walls that are constructed such that they are half solid (bottom to mid-section), and half wire mesh (from mid-section to roof). The outdoor insectary provided the larval rearing cages with protection from rain and wind, but exposed them to the prevailing natural day/night temperatures, light and photoperiod. As a higher mortality was expected with drought stress, a total of 108 and 216 larvae were assigned to the control and drought stress treatment groups, respectively, and each laboratory source population contributed equivalent numbers of larvae to each treatment group.