Nectar-Feeding by a Predatory Ambush Bug (Heteroptera: Phymatidae) That Hunts on Flowers

摘要: Ambush bugs, Phymata pennsylvanica Handlirsch (Heteroptera: Phymatidae), are generalist sit-and-wait predators commonly found hunting on old-field flowers in the Northeastern United States. Individuals will often probe for long periods, suggesting that bugs feeding nectar. The objective of reported studies was to examine ambush bug's ability detect and use simulated real nectar as food. In a field experiment, were restricted without prey inflorescences survived longer than nonflowering sites, thus indicating able gain nutritive material directly from flowers. laboratory choice tests, individuals more likely drink dilute sucrose-solution plain water solution, identify food resource. Last, provided with trials significantly absence given only or nothing also lost mass at slower rate. However, juveniles could not molt past any instar which they had fed sucrose solution. As many other predatory arthropods, then, plant-feeding nature allows survive when scarce, but plant alone is be nutritionally insufficient normal growth development. Further research patterns scarcity possible trade-offs between consumption help clarify overall role nectar-feeding bug ecology.