The Experts below are selected from a list of 9 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Christiane Weirauch - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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crowdsourced online images provide insights into predator prey interactions of putative natural enemies
Food Webs, 2019Co-Authors: Madison Hernandez, Paul Masonick, Christiane WeirauchAbstract:Abstract Most megadiverse clades of insects are herbivores, but several large radiations consist almost entirely of predators. Their species numbers make comprehensive direct observations of predator-prey interactions difficult to obtain. Citizen science approaches are increasingly utilized to harvest ecological data for organisms including insects. We use crowdsourced images documenting predator-prey interactions of assassin bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), a speciose clade of predatory insects, to (1) determine the breakdown of assembled online images by geographic region and reduviid subfamily; (2) evaluate if the accumulated images provide new insights into prey diversity; and (3) assess evidence for taxa that feed on pest species, pollinators, and engage in intraguild predation. Photographs were assembled (n = 832) and resulted in an image database that included representatives of 11 subfamilies; most records belonged to diurnal Harpactorinae and Phymatinae, but some subfamilies with poorly understood prey diversity were also documented. Taxa with substantial image representation of prey (21–242 predation events) showed significant overlap with prey reported in the literature. A high percentage of images for Apiomerus Hahn and Phymata Latreille documented predation events on native and non-native bees; percentages varied widely among species of Zelus Fabricius. Arilus cristatus (Linnaeus) was documented to prey on several pest species, with little evidence for pollinator predation. Potential effects of these natural enemies on pollinators and intraguild predators should be further investigated, providing important insights into mechanisms influencing community structure and ecosystems processes.
Madison Hernandez - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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crowdsourced online images provide insights into predator prey interactions of putative natural enemies
Food Webs, 2019Co-Authors: Madison Hernandez, Paul Masonick, Christiane WeirauchAbstract:Abstract Most megadiverse clades of insects are herbivores, but several large radiations consist almost entirely of predators. Their species numbers make comprehensive direct observations of predator-prey interactions difficult to obtain. Citizen science approaches are increasingly utilized to harvest ecological data for organisms including insects. We use crowdsourced images documenting predator-prey interactions of assassin bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), a speciose clade of predatory insects, to (1) determine the breakdown of assembled online images by geographic region and reduviid subfamily; (2) evaluate if the accumulated images provide new insights into prey diversity; and (3) assess evidence for taxa that feed on pest species, pollinators, and engage in intraguild predation. Photographs were assembled (n = 832) and resulted in an image database that included representatives of 11 subfamilies; most records belonged to diurnal Harpactorinae and Phymatinae, but some subfamilies with poorly understood prey diversity were also documented. Taxa with substantial image representation of prey (21–242 predation events) showed significant overlap with prey reported in the literature. A high percentage of images for Apiomerus Hahn and Phymata Latreille documented predation events on native and non-native bees; percentages varied widely among species of Zelus Fabricius. Arilus cristatus (Linnaeus) was documented to prey on several pest species, with little evidence for pollinator predation. Potential effects of these natural enemies on pollinators and intraguild predators should be further investigated, providing important insights into mechanisms influencing community structure and ecosystems processes.
Paul Masonick - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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crowdsourced online images provide insights into predator prey interactions of putative natural enemies
Food Webs, 2019Co-Authors: Madison Hernandez, Paul Masonick, Christiane WeirauchAbstract:Abstract Most megadiverse clades of insects are herbivores, but several large radiations consist almost entirely of predators. Their species numbers make comprehensive direct observations of predator-prey interactions difficult to obtain. Citizen science approaches are increasingly utilized to harvest ecological data for organisms including insects. We use crowdsourced images documenting predator-prey interactions of assassin bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), a speciose clade of predatory insects, to (1) determine the breakdown of assembled online images by geographic region and reduviid subfamily; (2) evaluate if the accumulated images provide new insights into prey diversity; and (3) assess evidence for taxa that feed on pest species, pollinators, and engage in intraguild predation. Photographs were assembled (n = 832) and resulted in an image database that included representatives of 11 subfamilies; most records belonged to diurnal Harpactorinae and Phymatinae, but some subfamilies with poorly understood prey diversity were also documented. Taxa with substantial image representation of prey (21–242 predation events) showed significant overlap with prey reported in the literature. A high percentage of images for Apiomerus Hahn and Phymata Latreille documented predation events on native and non-native bees; percentages varied widely among species of Zelus Fabricius. Arilus cristatus (Linnaeus) was documented to prey on several pest species, with little evidence for pollinator predation. Potential effects of these natural enemies on pollinators and intraguild predators should be further investigated, providing important insights into mechanisms influencing community structure and ecosystems processes.
J E Mcpherson - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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life history and laboratory rearing of Arilus cristatus heteroptera reduviidae in southern illinois
Florida Entomologist, 2000Co-Authors: A M Hagerty, J E McphersonAbstract:The life history of Arilus cristatus (L.) was studied in southern Illinois from March 1997 to November 1998. The bug also was reared in the laboratory at 26 0.5C under a 16:8 (L:D) photoperiod. This univoltine species overwintered as eggs. First instars were found from early May to late June, second instars from mid-May to early June, third instars from late May to early July, fourth instars from early June to mid-July, fifth instars from early June to mid-August, and adults from early July to late November. In the laboratory, the five nymphal stadia averaged 15.64, 14.04, 15.17, 20.53, and 28.61 d, respectively. Also, the incubation periods of two egg clusters oviposited by two field-collected females were 60 and 61 d.
A M Hagerty - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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life history and laboratory rearing of Arilus cristatus heteroptera reduviidae in southern illinois
Florida Entomologist, 2000Co-Authors: A M Hagerty, J E McphersonAbstract:The life history of Arilus cristatus (L.) was studied in southern Illinois from March 1997 to November 1998. The bug also was reared in the laboratory at 26 0.5C under a 16:8 (L:D) photoperiod. This univoltine species overwintered as eggs. First instars were found from early May to late June, second instars from mid-May to early June, third instars from late May to early July, fourth instars from early June to mid-July, fifth instars from early June to mid-August, and adults from early July to late November. In the laboratory, the five nymphal stadia averaged 15.64, 14.04, 15.17, 20.53, and 28.61 d, respectively. Also, the incubation periods of two egg clusters oviposited by two field-collected females were 60 and 61 d.