Assassin bugs enhance prey capture with a sticky resin

Tool-use in animals is a complex and rare phenomenon, particularly in insects. Tool-use in assassin bugs has been suggested as several species apply adhesive plant resins to their body, which has been hypothesized to function in enhancing prey capture. Here, we staged predatory interactions of resin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biology letters (2005) 2023-04, Vol.19 (4), p.20220608-20220608
Main Authors: Soley, Fernando G, Herberstein, Marie E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Insecta
Nymph
Predatory Behavior
Reduviidae
Resins, Plant
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Summary:Tool-use in animals is a complex and rare phenomenon, particularly in insects. Tool-use in assassin bugs has been suggested as several species apply adhesive plant resins to their body, which has been hypothesized to function in enhancing prey capture. Here, we staged predatory interactions of resin-deprived and resin-equipped assassin bugs ( sp.) and discovered that applying resin as a tool conveys a clear predatory advantage to the assassin bugs. sp. can thus be considered a tool-user, and since this behaviour was present in all individuals, including newly hatched nymphs, tool-use can be considered to be stereotyped. Our study, along with others, suggests that, when compared with other insects, tool-use is disproportionately common within the assassin bugs.
ISSN:1744-957X
1744-957X
DOI:10.1098/rsbl.2022.0608