Biology 251: Lecture 16Fall 1996

Insects as Predators

  1. Predatory Insects
    1. Adaptations
      1. Large eyes, mobile heads
      2. Quick movement
      3. Modified legs
      4. Modified mouthparts
    2. Monophagous vs. polyphagous vs. oligophagous
    3. Behavioral types
      1. Searchers
      2. Stalkers
      3. Trappers
    4. Examples
      1. Robberflies
      2. Ladybird beetles

  2. Parasitoids
    1. Generalized life cycle
    2. Superparasitism
    3. Hyperparasitism
    4. Hypermetamorphosis
    5. Polyembrony
    6. Examples
      1. Diptera
      2. Hymenoptera


"We make a living by what we get,
but we make a life by what we give. "
Winston Churchill