Carabid Beetle, Omphra pilosa Klug (Coleoptera:Carabidae) a Potential Predator on Termites

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Authors

  • Department of Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore-560 065 ,IN
  • Department of Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore-560 065 ,IN

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18311/jbc/1990/15310

Keywords:

Omphra pilosa, Termites, Feeding Potential, Functional Response.

Abstract

A field study was conducted on the activity and distribution of Omphra pilosa Klug. Grubs and adults fed exclusively on all castes of termites. The adult fed on an average 15 workers and 2.1 alates per day. They had a preference to workers. The predatory consumption rate Increased with Increasing prey density. Grubs stored termites in their burrows. Both grubs and adults were more abundant and commonly associated in dryland crop ecosystem and lived under weed stubbles infested by termites.