Competition, Body Size and the Relative Energy Balance of Adult Tiger Beetles (Coleoptera:Cicindelidae)

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Abstract
Large tiger beetle species in grasslands of southeastern Arizona [USA] fed on a broad range of prey sizes (1-46 mm in length). Small tiger beetle species were limited to small prey (1-12 mm). Prey-handling times and preliminary foraging energy costs were measured to determine if they could offset the asymmetry of prey use and the apparent competitive advantage of the large tiger beetle species. Laboratory feeding trials indicated that large tiger beetles handled small prey items faster than small tiger beetles, and differential handling times enhanced the asymmetry of prey size use. Using prey abundance, prey size preferences for each tiger beetle species, mean weight of prey and total time spent foraging per day, a relative total prey (mg) capture per day was estimated for large, medium and small tiger beetle species. Food intake was then compared to O2 consumption derived from body weight of each tiger beetle species. Small tiger beetle species have similar or greater energy balances than the larger species regardless of prey size range and handling time asymmetries.

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