Laboratory studies of weed seed predation by carabid beetles

Cafeteria style feeding tests were conducted on the following carabid beetl es: Harpalus rufipes, Amara aenea and Pterostichus melanarius. Beetles were offered two diets containing a selection of arable weed seeds, and one die t containing a mixture of food items including seeds, insects and plant mat erial. Results of ANOVA indicate that beetles had particular preferences fo r certain types of seeds. When given a mixed diet, seeds still accounted fo r between 30-62%.