Cannibalism in non-carnivorous insects plays an important role towards maintaining the population in their natural habitats (Richardson et al., 2010).
In the study conducted by Richardson et al. (2010), cannibalism in non-carnivorous insects was compared within orders Orthoptera, Blattodea, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Diptera. The juveniles were often cannibalistic and they consume:
· Eggs: This behavior coincides with the fact that non-carnivorous insects lay masses of eggs, which increases the chance of conspecifics encountering one another more often.
· Juveniles of smaller body size: Observed in large larvae of bark beetle, Scolytus multistriatus, when they encounter smaller conspecific, as they are boring in phloem.
· Neonate conspecifics that were parasitized: This behavior can help to reduce parasitism in the next generation. Seen in larvae of sawfly, Cephus cinctus.
· Instars of similar sizes: seen in desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, and chrysomelid beetle, Labidomera clivicollis.
· Larger conspecifics: seen in granulosis virus-infected caterpillars of Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella.
Cannibalism of adult insects was rare unless when they are in vulnerable state (Richardson et al., 2010).
Cannibalism in non-carnivorous insects was dependent on two main groups of factors (Richardson et al., 2010):
(1) Density dependent: E.g. number of eggs laid by the female
(2) Density independent: temperature, humidity, precipitation, nutritional quality of host plant, availability of vulnerable conspecifics and also genetic factors
Advantages conferred by cannibalism include: positive effect on fitness of the cannibal, stabilizing relationship between the host plant and insect, population density regulation and helps to eliminate of pathogen- or disease-infected conspecifics in the population (Richardson et al., 2010).
Disadvantages of cannibalism would be the acquisition of pathogen after the consumption of a pathogen-infected conspecific by the cannibal and the over reduction of population below the optimal density (Richardson et al., 2010). The pathogen may be spread throughout the population due to cannibalism, decreasing the fitness of the individuals in the population. Over reduction of a population can lead to detrimental consequences of local extinction of the species.
In the study conducted by Richardson et al. (2010), cannibalism in non-carnivorous insects was compared within orders Orthoptera, Blattodea, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Diptera. The juveniles were often cannibalistic and they consume:
· Eggs: This behavior coincides with the fact that non-carnivorous insects lay masses of eggs, which increases the chance of conspecifics encountering one another more often.
· Juveniles of smaller body size: Observed in large larvae of bark beetle, Scolytus multistriatus, when they encounter smaller conspecific, as they are boring in phloem.
· Neonate conspecifics that were parasitized: This behavior can help to reduce parasitism in the next generation. Seen in larvae of sawfly, Cephus cinctus.
· Instars of similar sizes: seen in desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, and chrysomelid beetle, Labidomera clivicollis.
· Larger conspecifics: seen in granulosis virus-infected caterpillars of Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella.
Cannibalism of adult insects was rare unless when they are in vulnerable state (Richardson et al., 2010).
Cannibalism in non-carnivorous insects was dependent on two main groups of factors (Richardson et al., 2010):
(1) Density dependent: E.g. number of eggs laid by the female
(2) Density independent: temperature, humidity, precipitation, nutritional quality of host plant, availability of vulnerable conspecifics and also genetic factors
Advantages conferred by cannibalism include: positive effect on fitness of the cannibal, stabilizing relationship between the host plant and insect, population density regulation and helps to eliminate of pathogen- or disease-infected conspecifics in the population (Richardson et al., 2010).
Disadvantages of cannibalism would be the acquisition of pathogen after the consumption of a pathogen-infected conspecific by the cannibal and the over reduction of population below the optimal density (Richardson et al., 2010). The pathogen may be spread throughout the population due to cannibalism, decreasing the fitness of the individuals in the population. Over reduction of a population can lead to detrimental consequences of local extinction of the species.