LIPIDS AND EGG-PRODUCTION OF PODISUS-MACULIVENTRIS (HETEROPTERA, PENTATOMIDAE) UNDER LOW RATES OF PREDATION

Spined soldier bugs, Podisus maculiventris (Say), were fed different r egimens of prey and then dissected at different ages to measure lipid content and reproductive status to determine how the predator allocate s food reserves between metabolic and reproductive needs under low pre y inputs. We found that as the interfeeding interval increased, the am ount of lipids increased and the number of eggs oviposited decreased. When starved individuals were switched from a low- to a high-prey inpu t regimen, the number of eggs laid increased after 4 d. These findings suggest that to maintain longevity, lipids were stored, while at the same time, reproduction declined. Such trade-offs probably allow P. ma culiventris to persist in various environments, including those charac terized by scarce or unpredictable food inputs.