Insect feeding
Is cannibalism a common way of obtaining food in insects?
Cannibalism, also known as intraspecific predation, is the process of killing and consuming an individual of the same species (Elgar & Crespi, 1992). It is a significant and widespread process that until recently had not received the attention it deserved. The process is now known to be a major factor in the biology of many species, influencing population structure, life history, competition for mates and resources, and behaviour (Elgar & Crespi, 1992). Previously thought to occur only in carnivorous insects due to their adaptations for catching and killing prey, many non-carnivorous model organisms are emerging to exhibit cannibalism (Ricardson et al. 2010). Recent research has indicated that cannibalism may be an adaptive mechanism for such insects based upon a wide range of life history factors such as sex, age, developmental asynchrony, or environmental factors such as limitations in the quality or quantity of food (Ricardson et al. 2010). There are in fact three main types of cannibalism observed in insects: infanticide (and ovicide), sexual cannibalism, and autophagy. A perusal of the following webpage will make it clear that these types of cannibalism are, in reality, quite common ways of obtaining food in Class Insecta.
Click any of the links on the top bar to explore insect cannibalism!
Click any of the links on the top bar to explore insect cannibalism!