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Influence of hunger level and prey density on searching behaviour of the reduviid predator Rhynocoris marginatus (Fabricius) (Het., Reduviidae)
Author(s) -
Claver M. A.,
Ambrose D. P.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of applied entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1439-0418
pISSN - 0931-2048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1439-0418.2003.00708.x
Subject(s) - spodoptera litura , biology , predation , predator , population density , ecology , larva , demography , population , sociology
Mechanism underlying the searching behaviour of the predator Rhynocoris marginatus in different levels of hunger and at different densities of its prey Spodoptera litura was studied within an experimental arena. Starved for 1‐day R. marginatus travelled 2.34 times longer distances than starved for 4‐day ones to find prey in the four prey density arenas. Total distance travelled by R. marginatus at four S. litura density arenas was 0.4 times shorter than that in one density regime. Searching speed of 4‐day hungry R. marginatus was 2.44 times greater than 1‐day hungry R. marginatus . R. marginatus at four S. litura density regimes searched at 2.43 times higher speeds than R. marginatus at one density regime. Higher rates of turning were observed in 4‐day hungry R. marginatus than in 1‐day hungry R. marginatus. Higher rates of turning of R. marginatus were recorded in one S. litura density regime than in four density regimes. One‐day hungry R. marginatus turned 4.14‐fold greater degree mean angle than 4‐day hungry ones. At four S. litura density regime R. marginatus turned 0.34‐fold lesser angle than at one density regime.