PREY CONSUMPTION AND VARIATIONS IN LARVAL BIOLOGY OF ENOCLERUS SPHEGEUS (COLEOPTERA: CLERIDAE)

Abstract

Abstract Larvae of Enoclerus sphegeus Fabricius (Coleoptera: Cleridae) were separated into three groups for study. Throughout their development, the larvae in each group were fed mountain pine beetle larvae, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), of a specific size (small, medium, or large). Clerid larvae fed small D. ponderosae larvae generally completed three stadia, while the other two groups, which were fed medium-sized and large prey, respectively, usually passed through two larval stadia. The number of stadia a larva would have was determined by the amount of food consumed during the first stadium. The feeding period of larvae given small prey was considerably longer than that of those fed medium-sized or large beetle larvae, but the prepupal period was much shorter. The head capsules of second-instar larvae that passed through two stadia were distinctly wider than those of second-instar larvae that completed three stadia.