Influence of larval dietary supply on the food consumption, food utilization efficiency, growth and development of the lacewingChrysoperla carnea

In order to derive quantitative estimates of predation rate from serological gut analysis data, one must have an estimate of the interval during which a meal can be detected after feeding. In practice this has turned out to be ‘D_max,’ defined as ‘...the time from finishing a meal until that meal could just no longer be detected in any individuals.’ However D_max substitutes an absolute limit for what is really a continuous variable with significant variation. We examined this problem in a study of the detectability ofHelicoverpa zea Boddie (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) fifth instar remains in the guts ofPolistes metricus Say (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Wasps were maintained onTrichoplusia ni (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) fifth instars before being fed a singleH. zea fifth instar. They were killed and frozen at 0, 24, 48 and 96 h intervals, with those held for more than 24 h fed a singleT. ni fifth instar at 24 h intervals in order to simulate continued feeding. Wasp abdomens were assayed by immunodot, using a monoclonal antibody toH. zea arylphorin. There was a logarithmic decay in the proportion ofP. metricus positive over time, a singleH. zea fifth instar meal having a detectability half-life of 19.4 h at field temperatures. If prey antigen detectability decays exponentially, then a detectability half-life is a more appropriate unit of detectability than an absolute detectability period.