There are several animal species whose feeding strategy vary between the gender or life cycle. For instance, predatory wasps use different spider or insect species to feed their offspring but as adults, they feed on nectar. Likewise, some parasitic Meloidae species consume immature insects during the larval stage but as adults they are aphagous. Additionally, females and males mosquitoes have different food sources. Hence, how can we classify an animal according to its food source? the longest developmental phase should be the criterion? Thank you very much.
Hi Léo,
Apart from gender and age, feeding habits in many species vary with changes in environmental factors that influence the availability of prey. However, young animals generally need higher quality food and hence their diet is considerably different from adults. So, I think you should consider feeding habits of adult species unless you are specifically analysing data of young forms.
Hi Mahmoud,
Thank you for your message. I was wondering about this subject because of hunting wasps. They used to be classified as predators even considering that adults feed on nectar but brood cells are provisioned with paralysed preys such spiders or insects.
Hello Leo; Let me use ants as an example. If I find an alate in my pitfall traps, that might mean that the species reproduces in my sample area. On the other hand, if I find a worker in that trap, I am certain that the species does. So, in this case the minimum requirement for maintaining a population is a nest that successfully produces workers. It's the energy relationships of the adult that permits completion of the life cycle and so I'd consider the adults' feeding habits that ought to characterize the species. So I agree with Mr. Hamami. Best regards, Jim Des Lauriers
Hi James. Thank you for your contribution to the discussion. I have never thought on that perspective. Best regards, Léo.
Leo; Here is a last little bit. For your adult wasps the nectar that they feed on only fuels their activity. That component probably contributes little, or nothing, to the biomass of the population. It's the predatory/scavenging part that probably correlates most closely with the growth potential of the mother's brood. Maybe that distinction is helpful. Cheers, Jim
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