Abstract:
Feeding behaviour of Myrmeleon pseudohyalinus (Holzel, 1972) larvae was studied in
sand and soil media for second and third instars, and at two hunger levels (fed/starved) in laboratory
conditions. Common ant Anoplolepis gracilipes (Smith, 1857) was used as prey in all the experiments.
From the eight experiments, feeding time, prey escape and capture success were analysed. The
predatory efficiency studied indicated that the capture success was high in second instar larvae
irrespective of hunger level and medium. The relationships between selected behaviour, instar, medium
and condition were studied and also the relationship between selected behaviour, instar, medium,
condition and time period were analysed. From the Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA), it is
clear that the prey beating, emergence and submergence behaviours were influenced by the larval
instar (second and third) and quiescence, pit clearing and jaw set behaviour patterns were influenced
by their condition (fed or starved). CCA also shows an influence of time period in the feeding
behaviour pattern of antlion larvae. © 2022 Association for Advancement of Entomology
