SURVIVORSHIP AND CANNIBALISM IN LYCTOCORIS-CAMPESTRIS (HEMIPTERA, ANTHOCORIDAE) - EFFECTS OF DENSITY, PREY AVAILABILITY, AND TEMPERATURE

Availability of prey was an important factor for cannibalism in Lyctoc oris campestris (F.). Cannibalistic predation in L. campestris nymphs was density dependent irrespective of prey level or space provided. Me an adult longevity varied under different prey, water, and temperature regimes. Adults survived for more than 2 wks when no prey or free wat er was provided, and survivorship increased slightly when bugs had acc ess to free water. Females survived longer than males (P = 0.03) when only water was provided. Under a no-prey regime, lower rearing tempera tures yielded significantly higher adult survivorship. Lyctocoris camp estris adults survived for 23.5 d without prey or water at 17 degrees C. The cannibalstic predation among nymphs and the ability of adults t o survive for an extended period of time without prey or water may ena ble bug populations to persist until prey populations rebound in a sto red-product ecosystem.