Predation risk of gregarious and aposematic insect larvae in an urban-agricultural landscape

Urban Farm DB summary

This study investigated the relationship between prey aggregation, body coloration, and habitat structure with the likelihood of predation by visually oriented vertebrates in an urban-agricultural area in the Philippines, using an artificial caterpillar model. Of the 1026 observed prey items, 204 were attacked, primarily by mammals (75%), then birds (17%), and reptiles (8%). Contrary to the initial hypothesis, prey coloration did not influence predation risk; instead, prey aggregation was the primary determinant of attack likelihood. Habitat structure variables also influenced predation.