Ontogeny of prey selection inSirthenea carinata: Generalist juveniles become specialist adults

Prey selection bySirthenea carinata (F.) Hemiptera: Reduviidae] was investigated using both field captured and laboratory-reared nymphs and adults. Small nymphs (instars 1–3) showed no preference for mole crickets Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae: Scapteriscus] as prey overGryllus spp. orAnurogryllus muticus (De Geer) Orthoptera: Gryllidae]. Larger nymphs (4th and 5th instars) and adults showed a significant preference for mole crickets in the same sort of choice experiments, choosing mole crickets 84% of the time. Laboratory hatchedSirthenea nymphs matured faster on a mixed diet ofGryllus spp.,A. muticus, andScapteriscus spp. Than did siblings fed a diet ofGryllus spp. alone, but no differences were found in size or duration of individual stadia between the diet groups.