Presence Of Prey Research Articles

Predation of Glossiphonia weberi (Blanchard, 1897) on the invasive snail Physella acuta (Draparnaud, 1805) in the presence of an alternative prey

Abstract The North American freshwater snail Physella acuta has invaded and colonized a wide range of freshwater habitats, globally. Resembling other invasive species, P. acuta has several negative impacts on the invaded freshwater ecosystems, which calls for its regulation, preferably through biological control. The malacophagous leech Glossiphonia weberi, native to West Bengal, India, had been previously reported as a potential biocontrol agent of P. acuta. In this experiment, we observed the predation potential and prey preference of G. weberi on P. acuta in the presence of a native snail, Gyraulus convexiusculus. The results suggest that in all instances, G. weberi consumed less G. convexiusculus compared to P. acuta. In complex habitats, G. weberi showed significant prey preference to P. acuta except in the habitat characterized by the presence of pebbles. The complex habitats bear a significant (p < 0.05) negative impact only in the case of predation on P. acuta when present with conspecific but not in heterospecific prey conditions. Therefore, G. weberi qualifies as a useful biological control agent that can affect the colonization and expansion of the invasive snail P. acuta, even in the presence of alternative prey.

Effect of predation‐risk and foraging opportunities on substrate choice and strength of brightness preference inSchizothorax wangchiachiiandPercocypris pingijuveniles

Fish substrate preference may be largely influenced by genetics. However, does predator-experience training (hatchery-reared fish exposed to their natural predators while in captivity) or the presence of conspecifics, prey or predator affect this preference? We determined the effect of predation-risk and foraging opportunities on substrate choice of Schizothorax wangchiachii and Percocypris pingi when in the presence of a conspecific, predator or prey. We found that both S. wangchiachii and P. pingi juveniles preferred the large gravel substrate, regardless of prey/predator presence or previous training. When in the presence of a predator, wild and predator-trained hatchery-reared S. wangchiachii juveniles chose the white substrate over the black substrate as it was the furthest away from the predator (Silurus meridionalis), whereas the predator-naïve individuals preferred the black substrate. This suggests that predation stress training could improve the ability to recognize and avoid predators in hatchery-reared S. wangchiachii juveniles. Wild and hatchery-reared P. pingi juveniles continued to choose the black substrate even though it was distant from the potential prey (S. wangchiachii). The time spent by wild P. pingi juveniles over black substrate was significantly lower than hatchery-reared juveniles. It is possible that the wild P. pingi juveniles' ability to recognize prey resulted in their more frequent movement towards the prey. The findings in the present study may lead to better predator/prey-recognition training of hatchery-reared S. wangchiachii and P. pingi juveniles, potentially increasing their survival rate when released to the wild.

Prey choice by a freshwater copepod on larval Aedes mosquitoes in the presence of alternative prey.

Predator-prey interactions can have a significant impact on the abundance and distribution of species, but the outcome of these interactions is often context-dependent. In small freshwater habitats, predacious copepods are potential biological control agents for mosquito larvae. Through laboratory experiments, we tested if the presence of a non-mosquito prey (neonate Daphnia pulex) influenced prey selection of the predaceous copepod (Acanthocyclops vernalis) on 1st instar Aedes mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus). Copepods were starved for 12 h prior to being exposed to the two prey types (larval mosquitoes and Daphnia) at three densities: 25 mosquitoes:75 Daphnia, 50 mosquitoes:50 Daphnia, 75 mosquitoes:25 Daphnia. Single prey choice trials for each species as well as no-predator trials were also established for controls. Copepods were effective predators, with a single copepod consuming up to 37 1st instar mosquito larvae during the 24-h trials. The number of mosquitoes consumed increased with their relative density, but the proportion of mosquitoes consumed was highest when Aedes made up only 25% of the population. Results from our study show that in a simple predator/two-prey system, two species of larval mosquitoes (Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus) are preferentially consumed over an alternative zooplankton by the copepod predator Acanthocyclops vernalis.

Plastic debris and natural food in two commercially important fish species from the coast of Peru

The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of plastic debris in the stomach contents of two commercially important species Ethmidium maculatum and Mugil cephalus from Peru and relate their characteristics to their diet. The contents of 1820 stomachs were analyzed visually to detect the presence of plastics and prey. Of the analyzed samples, 0.3% contained nine microplastic fragments (0.72–4.54 mm) and one mesoplastic fragment (6.65 mm). Green and blue plastics of polyethylene and polypropylene were the most common. In E. maculatum, copepods were the main prey, followed by diatoms and decapods, and they exhibited the highest amount of plastics. In M. cephalus, the main prey were diatoms, copepods, and dinoflagellates, and they exhibited only one type of microplastic. Although the characteristics of the plastics and the prey of these species may be related (sizes–colors), more research is required to understand this problem in commercially important fishery resources in Peru.

Can the mechanoreceptional setae of a feeding‐current feeding copepod detect hydrodynamic disturbance induced by entrained free‐floating prey?

AbstractCopepods that catch prey using feeding currents beat their cephalic appendages to generate flow entrainment, and detect the presence of nearby prey through the mechanoreceptional setae on the antennules and other appendages. It remains unclear whether the feeding current can be used by the copepod to gain information about its surroundings by sensing when the current is disturbed by nearby particles. In this article, we present a numerical model to address how much the presence of free‐floating prey can alter the feeding current velocity field, and how these prey‐induced disturbances modify setal deformation patterns. We prescribe the beating strokes of the feeding appendages, and quantify the changes in the bending flows across the setae and setal deformations due to the prey entrainment. We find that, first, the seta bends more due to the time‐averaged velocity component of the feeding current, while filtering out the oscillatory component. Second, 100 μm diameter free‐floating prey do not induce any noticeable change in deformations of the proximal and distal setae unless they are less than 10 or 5.5 prey radii from the antennules, respectively. Larger prey cause bigger flow disturbances than small prey, which are expected to be even harder to detect. Last, if setae are responsive to changes in deformation relative to the deformations in the absence of prey, the distal seta may have long‐ranged sensitivity to assist in detection of prey near the proximal seta, but if setae are responsive to absolute changes in deformation, both setae have very short‐ranged sensitivity.

Effects of cis-Jasmone Treatment of Brassicas on Interactions With Myzus persicae Aphids and Their Parasitoid Diaeretiella rapae.

There is a need to develop new ways of protecting plants against aphid attack. Here, we investigated the effect of a plant defence activator, cis-jasmone (CJ), in a range of cultivars of Brassica napus, Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea. Plants were sprayed with cis-jasmone or blank formulation and then tested with peach potato aphids (Myzus persicae Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and their parasitoid Diaeretiella rapae (M'Intosh) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). CJ treated plants had significantly lower aphid settlement than control plants in a settlement bioassay. Conversely, in a foraging bioassay, D. rapae parasitoids spent a significantly longer time foraging on CJ treated plants. Our results reveal that CJ treatment makes plants less attractive to and less suitable for M. persicae but more attractive to D. rapae in a range of brassica cultivars. It is likely that these effects are due to changes in volatile emission indicating activation of defence and presence of conspecific competitors to aphids but presence of prey to parasitoids. Increases in volatile emission were found in CJ induced plants but varied with genotype. Among the synthetic volatile compounds that were induced in the headspace of CJ treated brassica cultivars, methyl isothiocyanate, methyl salicylate and cis-jasmone were most repellent to aphids. These results build on earlier studies in Arabidopsis and show that tritrophic interactions are influenced by CJ in a wide range of brassica germplasm. The implication is that CJ is a promising treatment that could be used in brassica crops as part of an integrated pest management system.

Combination of generalist predators, Nesidiocoris tenuis and Macrolophus pygmaeus, with a companion plant, Sesamum indicum: What benefit for biological control of Tuta absoluta?

Tuta absoluta is one of the most damaging pests of tomato crops worldwide. Damage due to larvae may cause up to 100% loss of tomato production. Use of natural enemies to control the pest, notably predatory mirids such as Nesidiocoris tenuis and Macrolophus pygmaeus, is increasingly being promoted. However, considering the potential damage caused to tomatoes by these omnivorous predators in the absence of T. absoluta, an alternative solution could be required to reduce tomato damage and improve the predators’ performance. The use of companion plants can be an innovative solution to cope with these issues. The present study aimed to determine the influence of companion plants and alternative preys on the predators’ performance in controlling T. absoluta and protecting tomato plants. We evaluated the effect of predators (alone or combined) and a companion plant (sesame (Sesamum indicum)) on T. absoluta egg predation and crop damage caused by N. tenuis. The influence of an alternative prey (Ephestia kuehniella eggs) on the spatial distribution of predators was also evaluated by caging them in the prey presence or absence, either on tomato or sesame plants or on both. We found that the presence of sesame did not reduce the efficacy of N. tenuis or M. pygmaeus in consuming T. absoluta eggs; hatched egg proportion decreased when N. tenuis, M. pygmaeus, or both predators were present. More specifically, this proportion was more strongly reduced when both predators were combined. Sesame presence also reduced necrotic rings caused by N. tenuis on tomato plants. Nesidiocoris tenuis preferred sesame over tomato plants (except when food was provided only on the tomato plant) and the upper part of the plants, whereas M. pygmaeus preferred tomato to sesame plants (except when food was provided only on the sesame plant) and had no preference for a plant part. Combination of predators N. tenuis and M. pygmaeus allows for better coverage of cultivated plants in terms of occupation of different plant parts and better regulation of T. absoluta populations. Sesamum indicum is a potential companion plant that can be used to significantly reduce N. tenuis damage to tomatoes.

Winter diet of Long-eared Owls (Asio otus) in the southern Pannonian Plain (Serbia, Vojvodina)

Owl diets undergo qualitative changes across the different regions of their area of distribution. During the four winters (from 2014–15 to 2017–18), Long-eared Owls’ pellets were collected at three winterroosts located at the southern part of Pannonian Plain, in the Serbian province of Vojvodina. In 8070 prey items from pellets, we identified 16 mammal and 32 bird species. The Common Vole was the dominant prey species with a proportion in a range from 27.4% to 71.6%. The Muridae family formed a supplementary part of the diet: Mus sp., wood mouse and harvest mouse, during all winters. Birds were also a major supplementary prey during winter 2014–15, comprising 10.6%. A comparison of our results with the diet of Long-eared Owls wintering at the northern Pannonian plain (southwestern Slovakia) indicated an increase the proportion of some species in the southern part. How different land uses in agriculture and environmental conditions may be reflected in the food supply are discussed in relation to the diet composition of Long-eared Owls and an environment whose is richer provides both growing diversity in the diet of these owls and an expansion of their food niche. Our study described the Long-eared Owl as opportunistic predators expanding their food niche in the presence of diversified prey.

Big Cats in the Big City: Spatial Ecology of Mountain Lions in Greater Los Angeles

ABSTRACTLarge carnivores can represent the ultimate challenge for conservation in developed landscapes because of their large area requirements and potential for conflict with humans. Some large carnivores such as mountain lions (Puma concolor) can use a wide range of biomes and vegetation types, and in southern California, USA, they persist in metropolitan Los Angeles, a megacity of 18 million people. Understanding how large carnivores use highly altered landscapes is important for their conservation and management. We estimated home range size, landscape use, and landscape selection for mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains and surrounding areas for 29 subadult and adult animals from 2002 to 2016, using 128,133 locations from global positioning system (GPS)‐collars. Home range size was similar to that reported by other researchers; home ranges averaged 372 km2 for adult males and 134 km2 for adult females, except for 2 adult males in isolated habitat fragments that maintained 2 of the smallest adult male home ranges ever recorded (24 km2 and 54 km2). Mountain lions very rarely entered developed areas, consistently avoided altered open areas such as golf courses, cemeteries, or other landscaped spaces, and showed a positive relationship between home range size and amount of development, all indicating that developed areas have reduced value for mountain lions. Mountain lions from all sex and age classes selected areas closer to development than expected by chance, which could be related to the presence of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) or other prey in or adjacent to urbanization. For 2 adult males that occupied home ranges within the most urban portions of our study area, their response to urban development differed strongly across diurnal periods, ranging from avoidance during the day to selection at night. Shrub vegetation types, especially chaparral, were important in terms of habitat use and resource selection, highlighting their importance for conservation of the species in southern California. North America's largest felid can thrive in shrublands and persist even in one of the world's largest cities, although they only very rarely venture into developed areas within that city. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.

Orienting to the sun improves camouflage for bilaterally symmetrical prey

Abstract Here, we investigate the camouflage consequences of animal orientation behaviour. Shadows can be a conspicuous cue to the presence of prey. For bilaterally symmetrical animals, light field modelling indicates that camouflage will be improved when an animal orients its longitudinal axis directly towards or away from the sun, because the appearance of shadows is minimized. We test this prediction with a field predation experiment, in which wild birds hunt for artificial camouflaged prey oriented with the longitudinal axis either parallel or perpendicular to the sun. We find that prey oriented parallel to the sun are 3.93 times more likely to survive than prey oriented perpendicular to the sun. This result demonstrates the strong orientation dependence of camouflage. Given the dramatic difference in survival of prey with different orientations, we suggest that camouflage should be investigated as an important determinant of the positional behaviour of animals.

Conserving the European Bonelli's eagle in spatiotemporal domain: Lesson from its feeding pattern

Bonelli's eagle (Hieraaetus fasciatus), a threatened species in Western Europe, has suffered a critical and severe decline in last two decades. In this article, a qualitative analysis of an ecoepidemiological model which consists of two prey and a predator is carried out. We proposed and designed a spatiotemporal model to predict the distribution of a territorial predator, Bonelli's eagle and its two main prey species (rabbit and red-legged partridge). Bounded positive solution, feasibility of the equilibria, and their stability analysis are determined for the nonspatial counterpart of the system. Criteria for diffusion-driven instability caused by local random movements of rabbits, partridges, and Bonelli's eagle are obtained. Possible implications of the result for Bonelli's eagle conservation are discussed. We show that the inclusion of second prey in the system can drastically change the dynamics from the single prey case. We also found that the presence of a second prey is beneficial for the conservation of the threatened Bonelli's eagle population in Europe. Results obtained from theoretical analysis of the nonspatial model agree very well with the numerical simulation results. Lastly, via numerical simulation, we illustrate the effect of diffusion of the dynamical system in the spatial/spatiotemporal domain by different pattern formations.

Intraguild Interactions between the Mealybug Predators Cryptolaemus montrouzieri and Chrysoperla carnea.

Simple SummaryThe ladybird Cryptolaemus montrouzieri is a widely commercialized biological control agent of mealybugs. The green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea is mainly released for aphid control, but also attacks mealybugs. Both species have shown potential to control various economically important species of mealybug pests of greenhouse crops. As these predators may be simultaneously present in a crop, the risk of negative interactions between both predators was evaluated in this laboratory study. Individuals of different life stages of either predator were placed together in petri dish arenas and predation was recorded. Attacks between individuals of both species were frequently observed, with lacewing larvae being the dominant predators in most combinations. When mealybug nymphs or lepidopteran eggs were added to the arena, the incidence of attacks between the predators was greatly diminished. The relevance of these observations for the use of the predators in the biological control of greenhouse pests is discussed.The ladybird Cryptolaemus montrouzieri and the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea have shown potential for use in augmentative biological control of mealybug pests in greenhouse crops. In the context of combining these predators within an integrated pest management system, the risk of negative intraguild interactions between both predators was evaluated in a laboratory setting. Different life stages of either predator were confronted in petri dish arenas containing a Ficus benjamina leaf, and after 24 h the incidence and direction of intraguild predation (IGP) was recorded for each combination. The effect of adding Planococcus citri nymphs or Ephestia kuehniella eggs as extraguild prey on the level of IGP was also studied. IGP was frequently observed between the two predator species and was asymmetrical in favour of C. carnea in most cases. The presence of extraguild prey reduced the number of IGP events between the predators to a similar extent. The relevance of the observed intraguild interactions for the combined use of these predators in protected cultivation is discussed.

Shift happens: Evaluating the ability of autumn stocked walleye Sander vitreus to shift to natural prey

AbstractHatchery propagation techniques, such as pellet‐rearing, can result in altered feeding behaviour. Walleye Sander vitreus (Mitchill) is a commonly propagated sportfish, yet little is known regarding its ability to switch to live prey post‐stocking. The objectives were to evaluate temporal changes in diet composition and condition as well as evaluate the relationship between total length and presence of different prey consumed by stocked walleye fry and fingerlings. Fingerling walleye had higher average proportions of empty stomachs and benthic invertebrates but less fish that stocked walleye fry. The presence of zooplankton, benthic invertebrates or fish was not related to walleye length. Walleye condition was similar between cohorts and did not change over days post‐stocking. Percent similarity index values between cohorts were variable (0.0 to 67.9%). It was concluded that stocked walleye fingerlings consume lower quality prey items than stocked fry counterparts at least up to 49‐day post‐stocking, which may have implications for post‐stocking survival.

The Increase of Sumatran Tiger’s Prey Following Eradication of <i>Melastoma malabatrichum</i> in Way Kambas National Park, Indonesia

The invasion of the planter's rhododendron (Melastoma malabatrichum) in Way Kambas National Park caused the loss of the sumatran tiger preys feeding ground, therefore efforts were made to eradicate the plant. This study aimed to compare the presence of sumatran tiger preys between M. malabatrichum-invaded location and eradicated location. Eradication was carried out by removing M. malabatrichum on a plot measuring 80 x 60 m2. To record the animal visit, the camera traps were placed at the eradicated and invaded location of M. malabatrichum for comparison. The results showed that the M. malabatrichum eradicated location was more frequently visited by sumatran tiger preys. At the M. malabatrichum eradicated location, camera traps recorded 19 species of wild boar having the highest encounter rate (55.23) followed by sambar deer (33.24), and long-tailed macaque (17.43). Meanwhile, at the M. malabatrichum invaded location, camera traps recorded 13 species with wild boar having the highest encounter rate (30.56), followed by sambar deer (14.75), and long-tailed macaque (14.48). Thus, the eradication of M. malabatrichum had a good impact on increasing the number of sumatran tiger preys due to the availability of feed after being free from M. malabatrichum invasion.

Insights into Bdellovibrio spp. mechanisms of action and potential applications

Recent studies investigating Bdellovibrio spp. have found that although this predator predominantly preys on Gram-negative organisms, under certain conditions (nutrient/prey limitation), it will adapt to survive and grow axenically (without prey) or in the presence of Gram-positive bacterial prey. These advances in the understanding of predatory bacteria have stimulated a renewed interest in these organisms and the potential applications of Bdellovibriospp. to the benefit of society. Early studies primarily focused on the application of predatory bacteria as "live antibiotics" in the medical field, probiotics in aquaculture and veterinary medicine and their use in agriculture. Additionally, studies have investigated their prevalence in wastewater and environmental sources. However, comprehending that Bdellovibrio spp. may also prey on and target Gram-positive organisms, implies that these predators could specifically be applied for the bioremediation or removal of mixed bacterial communities. Recent studies have also indicated that Bdellovibrio spp. may be useful in controlling food spoilage organisms and subsequently decrease our reliance on food additives. This review will thus highlight recent developments in understanding Bdellovibriospp. predation strategies and focus on potential new applications of these organisms for water treatment, food preservation, enhancement of industrial processes, and in combination therapies with bacteriophages and/or antibiotics to combat multi-drug resistant organisms.

Correction to: The olfactive responses of Tetranychus urticae natural enemies in citrus depend on plant genotype, prey presence, and their diet specialization

Correction to: The olfactive responses of Tetranychus urticae natural enemies in citrus depend on plant genotype, prey presence, and their diet specialization

Increased male mating success in the presence of prey and rivals in a sexually cannibalistic mantis

Abstract Precopulatory sexual cannibalism—or cannibalism without mating—is expected to promote the evolution of male strategies that enhance mating success and reduce the risk of cannibalism, such as preferentially approaching feeding females. Sexual selection on male competitiveness has the potential to alter male mating decisions in the face of cannibalism risk, but such effects are poorly understood. We investigated the effect of prey availability and male–male competition on mating incidence in the highly cannibalistic Springbok mantis, Miomantis caffra. We found that matings were initiated more rapidly and more often in the presence of prey, suggesting that females distracted with foraging may be less of a threat. Competition between males also hastened the onset of copulation and led to higher mating success, with very large effects occurring in the presence of both prey and competitors, indicating that intrasexual competition may intensify attraction to foraging females. Taken together, our results suggest that precopulatory cannibalism has selected for male preference for foraging females and that males adjust their mating strategy to both the risk of competition and the threat of cannibalism.

Increasing availability of palatable prey induces predator-dependence and increases predation on unpalatable prey

Understanding the factors governing predation remains a top priority in ecology. Using a dragonfly nymph-tadpole system, we experimentally varied predator density, prey density, and prey species ratio to investigate: (i) whether predator interference varies between prey types that differ in palatability, (ii) whether adding alternate prey influences the magnitude of predator interference, and (iii) whether patterns of prey selection vary according to the predictions of optimal diet theory. In single-prey foraging trials, predation of palatable leopard frog tadpoles was limited by prey availability and predator interference, whereas predation of unpalatable toad tadpoles was limited by handling time. Adding unpalatable prey did not affect the predator’s kill rate of palatable prey, but the presence of palatable prey increased the influence of predator density on the kill rate of unpalatable prey and reduced unpalatable prey handling time. Prey selection did not change with shifts in the relative abundance of prey types. Instead, predators selected easy-to-capture unpalatable prey at low total densities and harder-to-capture palatable prey at high densities. These results improve our understanding of generalist predation in communities with mobile prey, and illustrate that characteristics of the prey types involved govern the extent to which alternate prey influence the predator’s kill rate.

Meta-Analysis of Salmon Trophic Ecology Reveals Spatial and Interspecies Dynamics Across the North Pacific Ocean

We examined spatial patterns in diet, trophic niche width and niche overlap for chum, pink and sockeye salmon across the North Pacific during 1959–1969. This is a baseline period before major hatchery enhancement occurred coinciding with a negative phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Large-scale (between regions) and fine-scale (within regions) spatial and interspecies differences were apparent. In the Western Subarctic, all species tended to consume zooplankton. In the Bering Sea, chum consumed zooplankton, while sockeye and pink alternated between zooplankton and micronekton. In the Gulf of Alaska/Eastern Subarctic, chum and sockeye specialized on gelatinous zooplankton and cephalopod prey, respectively, while pink consumed a mixture of zooplankton and micronekton. The highest diet overlap across the North Pacific was between pink and sockeye (46.6%), followed by chum and pink (31.8%), and chum and sockeye (30.9%). Greater diet specialization was evident in the Gulf of Alaska/Eastern Subarctic compared to the Western Pacific. Generally, species had higher niche width and overlap in areas of high prey availability, and this was particularly evident for chum salmon. In addition to the large-scale trophic patterns, our data revealed novel fine-scale spatial patterns, including latitudinal, onshore-offshore, and cross-gyre gradients. Our results showed that pink tended to be more generalist consumers, and their diets may be a better reflection of overall prey presence and abundance in the environment. Conversely, chum and sockeye tended to be more specialist consumers, and their diets may provide a better reflection of interspecies dynamics or prey availability. This study provides a baseline for comparison with current and future changes in salmon marine ecology and North Pacific ecosystems. Finally, we identify two important data gaps that need addressing, that of improved taxonomic resolution diet data for Pacific salmon and focused research on sub-mesoscale oceanographic features that may play an important role in salmon health and productivity.

Performance of the aphidophagous coccinellid Eriopis connexa fed on single species and mixed-species prey

ABSTRACT Biological control in the open field often involves simultaneous infestations of different pest species. In brassica crops, aphids and diamondback moth are major pest species worldwide. The aphidophagous Coccinellinae Eriopis connexa (Germar) is a common predator in crop ecosystems including brassicas. We hypothesised that the performance of E. connexa would be improved if it were fed a mixed diet of prey available in the brassica ecosystem compared with the standard rearing prey; eggs of Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller). We evaluated diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) larvae, the brassica aphid, Lipaphis pseudobrassicae (Davis) when provided as single species, as mixtures of two species, or as all three species alternated over time. Developmental time and survival of E. connexa larvae fed diets of mixed prey and alternated available prey were superior to individuals that fed only P. xylostella larvae. Only 33% of E. connexa larvae that fed on P. xylostella alone survived and their development was delayed by 6 days. However, mean daily predation of P. xylostella larvae as single, mixed or alternated prey was 9.1 ± 0.2, 3.1 ± 0.1 and 9.4 ± 0.5 individuals, respectively, showing that this species was consumed even in the presence of preferred prey. Adult female E. connexa that consumed only P. xylostella did not lay eggs indicating that this prey could sustain the development and maintenance of E. connexa, but they are not essential prey. Predation of P. xylostella did not enhance or negatively affect E. connexa performance.