AbstractThe behavior of adults of clerid beetle Thanasimus dubius (F.) preying upon adult southern pine beetles, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmerman, in an arena in the laboratory is described by classifying the acts according to their consequences. A sequence of five stereotyped acts is performed by the predator: either searching or ambush, seizure of prey, alignment of prey, consumption of prey, and grooming. Handling time by the predator consists of the sums of the durations of the four acts of seizure through grooming, which was not significantly different for male and female predators, but was significantly longer for male prey (13.81 min) than for female prey (10.49 min). Consumption of prey (8–9 min) is the major component of handling time. Predators searched or waited in ambush an average of 5.8 mm before seizing a prey, and captured prey with an efficiency of 72%. Blinding predators had no significant effect on their efficiency at capturing prey. Maxillary and labial palpectomy alone or in combination significantly reduced efficiency of capture, and reduced numbers of prey consumed.
Intra-Annual Variation in Responses by Flying Southern Pine Beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) to Pheromone Componentendo-Brevicomin