Ecological Entomology (2003) 28, 92-101

J.P. Michaud (2003)
A comparative study of larval cannibalism in three species of ladybird
Ecological Entomology 28 (1), 92-101
Abstract: 1. Cannibalism was studied under laboratory conditions in three species of Coccinellidae (Coleoptera): Cycloneda sanguinea, Olla v-nigrum, and Harmonia axyridis. Larval cannibalism varied among species, C. sanguinea > H. axyridis > O. v-nigrum.
2. Larvae of all species cannibalised more in response to reduced food availability (14 h starvation daily) than in response to reduced food quality (dry Ephestia eggs).
3. Larvae of H. axyridis cannibalised siblings at lower rates than non-siblings, but larvae of C. sanguinea and O. v-nigrum did not. Rates of cannibalism increased significantly with increasing size disparity among larvae of all three species.
4. Cannibalism in C. sanguinea and H. axyridis, but not in O. v-nigrum, increased with larval density, suggesting that not all attacks on conspecifics are driven by hunger.
5. Costs, not benefits, were the predominant effects of exclusively and partially cannibalistic diets. A diet of conspecific eggs yielded survival equivalent to the Ephestia egg diet for H. axyridis and O. v-nigrum, but developmental time was extended and adults were smaller. Larvae of C. sanguinea had superior survival and faster development on conspecific eggs than on the Ephestia egg diet. Only H. axyridis larvae survived as well on diets comprised exclusively or partially of conspecific larvae as on Ephestia eggs, although they developed more slowly.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): J.P. Michaud

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution
environment/habitat manipulation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Harmonia axyridis (predator)
Cycloneda sanguinea (predator)
Olla v-nigrum (predator)