Environmental Entomology (1994) 23, 1254-1259

Jesusa Crisostomo Legaspi and Robert J. O'Neil (1994)
Lipids and egg production of Podisus maculiventris (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) under low rates of predation
Environmental Entomology 23 (5), 1254-1259
Abstract: Spined soldier bugs, Podisus maculiventris (Say), were fed different regimens of prey and then dissected at different ages to measure lipid content and reproductive status to determine how the predator allocates food reserves between metabolic and reproductive needs under low prey inputs. We found that as the interfeeding interval increased, the amount of lipids increased and the number of eggs oviposited decreased. When starved individuals were switched from a low- to a high-prey input regimen, the number of eggs laid increased after 4 d. These findings suggest that to maintain longevity, lipids were stored, while at the same time, reproduction declined. Such trade-offs probably allow P. maculiventris to persist in various environments, including those characterized by scarce or unpredictable food inputs.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Jesusa Crisostomo Legaspi, Robert J. O'Neil

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Podisus maculiventris (predator)