Lipids and Egg Production of Podisus maculiventris (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) Under Low Rates of Predation

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Abstract
Spined soldier bugs, Podisus maculiventris (Say), were fed different regimens of prey and then dissected at different ages to measure lipid content and reproductive status to determine how the predator allocates food reserves between metabolic and reproductive needs under low prey inputs. We found that as the interfeeding interval increased, the amount of lipids increased and the number of eggs oviposited decreased. When starved individuals were switched from a low- to a high-prey input regimen, the number of eggs laid increased after 4d. These findings suggest that to maintain longevity, lipids were stored, while at the same time, reproduction declined. Such trade-offs probably allow P. maculiventris to persist in various environments, including those characterized by scarce or unpredictable food inputs.

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