POLYETHISM IN FORAGING IN A POLYMORPHIC PREDATOR,<i>ENOPLOGNATHA OVATA</i>(ARANEAE: THERIDIIDAE): A CASE FOR BALANCE

Greco, Carlos F.; Kevan, Peter G.

doi:10.4039/ent131259-2

Cited by 11 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Consideration of population processes may shed light on intra-speci®c variability in foraging behaviour, as has been illustrated by differences in foraging strategies in two colour morphs of Enoplognatha ovata (Clerck) (Araneae, Theridiidae) (e.g. Greco & Kevan, 1999). The optimal forager is not necessarily the one that eats most [although it is important (Morse & Stephens, 1996)] but is certainly the one that survives the foraging process, matures, and leaves offspring.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contrasting patch choice behaviour by immature ambush predators, a spider (Misumena vatia) and an insect (Phymata americana)

Kevan

Greco

2001

Ecological Entomology

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1. Spiderlings of the crab spider Misumena vatia and nymphs of the ambush bug Phymata americana normally ambush prey in¯owers, as do the adults. The immatures of M. vatia are more mobile, by ballooning, than the ambulatory but largely sedentary adult female spiders, but the apterous immatures of P. americana are less mobile than the alate adults. The aim of the work reported here was to investigate how immatures, as compared with adults, select sites from which to ambush their prey.2. Individual immatures of both species were released in experimental arenas with variously manipulated natural stems: normal, with and without leaves, and with and without¯owers of three species of plants.3. The spiderlings and nymphs showed discriminatory behaviour but not in accordance with optimal foraging in either case. The spiderlings chose more leafy stems than any other kind of stem. For the nymphs, the importance of leaves was less marked, food apparently being more important than shelter.4. Neither of the predators discriminated among¯owering stems of Solidago canadensis, Daucus carota, and Cirsium arvense.5. In other experiments, in which¯owered and de¯owered stems were located in two separated groups in the arena and the individual was released in a bare area between the two groups, the spiderlings chose either group as predicted by chance but the nymphs showed a slight preference for the¯owered sector. Nevertheless, once in either of the groups, the predators showed similar behaviour in choosing leafy stems more often than other stems.6. Nymphs of P. americana are much more selective than adults but spiderlings of M. vatia are less selective than adult females. These results appear to accord with the time and energy costs of changing hunting sites, walking being slower than¯ying or ballooning.7. The results indicate the need to include other parameters, such as enemy-free space and time spent in not being able to forage, in the analysis of foraging behaviour.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contrasting patch choice behaviour by immature ambush predators, a spider (Misumena vatia) and an insect (Phymata americana)

Kevan

Greco

2001

Ecological Entomology

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“…Jones et al. , 1977; Greco & Kevan, 1999). Melanin has also temperature‐dependent effects (Sirkia et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, colour morphs can be cryptic in alternative habitats (Hoekstra et al, 2005) and thereby associated with foraging and anti-predator strategies (e.g. Jones et al, 1977;Greco & Kevan, 1999). Melanin has also temperature-dependent effects (Sirkia et al, 2010), and nonmelanic forms show a higher reflectance and lower temperature excesses when irradiated than melanic forms (Berry & Willmer, 1986;Beasley & Ankney, 1988).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Local adaptation and matching habitat choice in female barn owls with respect to melanic coloration

Dreiss

Antoniazza

Burri

et al. 2011

J of Evolutionary Biology

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Local adaptation is a major mechanism underlying the maintenance of phenotypic variation in spatially heterogeneous environments. In the barn owl (Tyto alba), dark and pale reddish‐pheomelanic individuals are adapted to conditions prevailing in northern and southern Europe, respectively. Using a long‐term dataset from Central Europe, we report results consistent with the hypothesis that the different pheomelanic phenotypes are adapted to specific local conditions in females, but not in males. Compared to whitish females, reddish females bred in sites surrounded by more arable fields and less forests. Colour‐dependent habitat choice was apparently beneficial. First, whitish females produced more fledglings when breeding in wooded areas, whereas reddish females when breeding in sites with more arable fields. Second, cross‐fostering experiments showed that female nestlings grew wings more rapidly when both their foster and biological mothers were of similar colour. The latter result suggests that mothers should particularly produce daughters in environments that best match their own coloration. Accordingly, whiter females produced fewer daughters in territories with more arable fields. In conclusion, females displaying alternative melanic phenotypes bred in habitats providing them with the highest fitness benefits. Although small in magnitude, matching habitat selection and local adaptation may help maintain variation in pheomelanin coloration in the barn owl.

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“…Older female syrphids may be more concerned with a search for potential oviposition sites, and hence an enhanced responsiveness to greens would be the expected outcome. In another potential biocontrol agent, the ambush bug Phymata americana, Greco & Kevan (1999) found a sexual diethism in preference for artificial flowers. These authors suggest that the differences in patch choice between the sexes is that males are searching for mates as well as prey.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of floral character on the foraging behaviour of the hoverfly, Episyrphus balteatus

Sutherland

Sullivan

Poppy

1999

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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A bioassay to examine the foraging behaviour of the aphidophagous hoverfly, Episyrphus balteatus was used in which various stimuli purported to influence flower choice were tested using model flowers. In choice experiments, E. balteatus exhibited enhanced behavioural responses to the colour yellow, as previously seen in Eristalis by several workers. Previous suggestions that the generalist forager E. balteatus has no preference for colour are re‐examined in the light of this new evidence. The other advertisement cue tested, size, was also demonstrated to play an important role in determining foraging behaviour, with the smaller artificial flowers seemingly preferred. Of the rewards tested, E. balteatus showed preference for the greatest nectar concentrations, whilst increasing pollen did not affect behaviour. These bioassays provided an opportunity to isolate the individual components of decision‐making by E. balteatus during foraging. The separation of sexes and ages in these experiments permitted analysis of inter‐sexual and inter‐generation differences in behaviour, a factor apparently not investigated in previous work.

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POLYETHISM IN FORAGING IN A POLYMORPHIC PREDATOR,ENOPLOGNATHA OVATA(ARANEAE: THERIDIIDAE): A CASE FOR BALANCE

Cited by 11 publications

References 26 publications

Contrasting patch choice behaviour by immature ambush predators, a spider (Misumena vatia) and an insect (Phymata americana)

Contrasting patch choice behaviour by immature ambush predators, a spider (Misumena vatia) and an insect (Phymata americana)

Local adaptation and matching habitat choice in female barn owls with respect to melanic coloration

The influence of floral character on the foraging behaviour of the hoverfly, Episyrphus balteatus

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