Competition Between Larvae of the Field Cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) and its Effects on Some Life-History Components of Fitness

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Abstract
(1) Competition between larvae of the field cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus, was investigated to determine its behavioural basis and consequences for future adult fitness. (2) Larval competition tended towards the contest end of the contest-scramble spectrum. Larvae showed well defined aggressive behaviours and those successful in competition monopolized access to food resources, resulting in a few individuals obtaining large adult weight at the expense of others. (3) Females were more successful in competition, resulting in a sexual dimorphism in size when competition was intense. (4) Mortality rates indicated a contents-type outcome competition resulting in stable population dynamics. (5) Adaptive developmental responses to increased stress should preserve the life-history components most important to fitness at the expense of less critical ones. Stress induced by increases in larval competition caused reductions in realized adult body size and decreased survival while development speed was maintained, suggesting a greater relative importance of development speed to net fitness. The importance of development speed to fitness is discussed.

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