Orientation of a hemipteran predator to vibrations produced by feeding caterpillars

Observations of search behavior in the predatory stinkbug Podisus maculiventris (Say) suggested that vibrations produced by prey as they chew on leaves may be an important cue used by this predator to locate prey. To test this hypothesis, studies were conducted to determine if P. maculiventris searc...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of insect behavior 1995, Vol.8 (1), p.1-9
Main Authors: Pfannenstiel, R.S, Hunt, R.E, Yeargan, K.V
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal ethology
Biological and medical sciences
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Glycine max
Hemiptera
Hypena scabra
Lepidoptera
nutrition
Pentatomidae
Plathypena scabra
Podisus maculiventris
predator-prey relationships
predatory insects
Protozoa. Invertebrata
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
searching behavior
vibration
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Observations of search behavior in the predatory stinkbug Podisus maculiventris (Say) suggested that vibrations produced by prey as they chew on leaves may be an important cue used by this predator to locate prey. To test this hypothesis, studies were conducted to determine if P. maculiventris search and make directional choices in response to vibrational stimuli produced by feeding green cloverworms, Plathypena scabra (F.), and to recordings of chewing vibrations. Modified soybean plants [Glycine max (L.)] were used in Y-choice tests. Individuals exposed to vibrational signals finished trials significantly more often on branches through which vibrations entered the plants than on no-stimulus branches. Also, a significantly higher proportion of individuals that initially moved onto branches with no stimulus reversed course than did those moving up branches with vibrational stimuli. The response of P. maculiventris individuals to vibrational signals produced by a common prey species demonstrates that these predators are capable of using substrate-borne vibrations as cues for prey location.
ISSN:0892-7553
1572-8889
DOI:10.1007/BF01990965