Abstract
Hydrophilid beetles from genus Sphaeridium colonize fresh cow pats. Their carnivorous larvae feed mostly on maggots of Musca autumnalis. Cannibalism and intrageneric predation among larvae of S. scarabaeoides and S. lunatumwere studied in the laboratory to ascertain under which conditions such predation may occur in the field. The probability of predation among Sphaeridiumlarvae increased with increased size difference between the larvae or when larvae were starved before and during the trials. It is concluded that predation among Sphaeridium larvae is an adaptation to uncertain availability of fly maggots in cow pats. Sphaeridium females oviposit in fresh pats and their young develop quickly.
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