Hyphantria cunea Drury larvae (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) were reared on either black cherry, Prunus serotina Ehrh., (the standard) or one of the following test species: pin cherry, Prunus pennsylvanica L., white ash, Fraxinus americana L., American elm, Ulmus americanum L., or shagbark hickory, Carya ovata (Mill.). In choice tests, black cherry-reared 5th instars showed no preference for black cherry over pin cherry or shagbark hickory, but showed a significant preference for black cherry over elm and ash. In each experiment, larval food preferences were induced on the test plant. This supports the theory that polyphagous insects are inducible.