INSECT ECOLOGYINSECT ECOLOGY

focus on interaction of pop diff sp of focus on interaction of pop diff sp of insects with each other and with plants, insects with each other and with plants, animal & physical factorsanimal & physical factors

trophic relationship= feeding relationshiptrophic relationship= feeding relationshipherbivorousherbivorouscarnivorous: meat eating: i)predators carnivorous: meat eating: i)predators

ii) parasitoid ii) parasitoid detritivoresdetritivores

HERBIVOROUSHERBIVOROUS Most successful insectMost successful insect Eat plantEat plant Many part of plantsMany part of plants Way of eating:Way of eating:

i) chewing plants part: grasshopper, stick insects, i) chewing plants part: grasshopper, stick insects, larvae of butterfly/moths, beetles etclarvae of butterfly/moths, beetles etc

Ii) leaf miners: feed or "mine" between the upper and Ii) leaf miners: feed or "mine" between the upper and lower epidermal leaf surfaceslower epidermal leaf surfaces

Generally very small, compressed, flattenedGenerally very small, compressed, flattened usually the larvae of flies, moths, or beetlesusually the larvae of flies, moths, or beetles

Weevil beetle (the larva is leafminer)

iii) Borer: bore into stems of weed/ tree iii) Borer: bore into stems of weed/ tree trunks/roots of underground plantstrunks/roots of underground plantsOften concealed (tak nampak)Often concealed (tak nampak)

iv) Sap suckersiv) Sap suckersFeed on sap the vascular tissues (xylem & Feed on sap the vascular tissues (xylem &

phloem)phloem)Hemiptera/homopteraHemiptera/homoptera result: discolorationresult: discoloration

V) gall making insectsV) gall making insects Insect command the plant hormonal sys. To Insect command the plant hormonal sys. To

produce abnormal growthproduce abnormal growthProvide place for the insects to live & Provide place for the insects to live &

nutrientsnutrients

CYNIPID WASP

CARNIVOROUSCARNIVOROUS i) predatorsi) predators

Found everywhere, less nutritional challengeFound everywhere, less nutritional challenge Dragonfly, damselfly, some crickets/flies/beetlesDragonfly, damselfly, some crickets/flies/beetles

Major characteristics of insect predators:Major characteristics of insect predators: adults and immatures are often generalists rather adults and immatures are often generalists rather

than specialists than specialists they generally are larger than their prey they generally are larger than their prey they kill or consume many prey they kill or consume many prey males, females, immatures, and adults may be males, females, immatures, and adults may be

predatory predatory they attack immature and adult preythey attack immature and adult prey

ii)parasitoidsii)parasitoidsan organism that spends a significant an organism that spends a significant

portion of its life history attached to or portion of its life history attached to or within a single host organism which it within a single host organism which it ultimately kills (and often consumes) in the ultimately kills (and often consumes) in the process. process.

koinobiont: koinobiont: allow the host to continue its allow the host to continue its development and often do not kill/paralyze development and often do not kill/paralyze or consume the host until the host is about or consume the host until the host is about to either pupate or become an adult to either pupate or become an adult

Idiobiont: Idiobiont: prevent any further development prevent any further development of the host after initial parasitization, and of the host after initial parasitization, and this typically involves a host life stage this typically involves a host life stage which is immobile (e.g., an egg or pupa), which is immobile (e.g., an egg or pupa),