Insect Survival Strategies

1. Insect Survival Strategies Staying alive in a bug eat bug world

2. What Do Insects Require for Survival? • 1) Food • 2) Water • 3) Shelter • 4) Predator Defense • 5) Reproduction

3. Finding Food: What Do Insects Eat? • Herbivores – consume a variety of plant material • Nectar feeders • Scavengers – generalists that eat a variety of foods • Carnivores (insectivores) – feed on other insect prey • Parasites – Feed on or Inside of Living Hosts

4. Plant Feeders: Mandibles Vs Beaks • Mandibles

5. Chewing Herbivores, Continued Sawfly Larvae weevil Bessbug Larva

6. Beaked Herbivores

7. Beaked Plant Feeders, Cont’d

8. Nectar Drinkers

9. Nectar Drinkers, Cont’d

10. Scavengers

11. Carnivores Sit and Wait Predators

13. Active Hunters

14. Parasites

15. Parasites, cont’d

16. Water • For Drinking • As a Habitat • For Reproduction

17. Shelter: Case makers

18. Shelter: “Burrowers”

20. Avoiding Predation • Mechanical Defenses • Camouflage • Fleeing/Falling • Startle • Defensive Chemicals • Venom

21. Camouflage

22. Fleeing

23. Startle Tactics

24. Defensive Chemicals

25. Venom

26. Reproduction • Mate Location • Fending off other Suitors • Courtship

27. Locating a Mate

28. Claiming the Territory

29. Courting