11/17/2023 0 Comments Download cocoone![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Our findings reveal that the faeces on the egg cocoon protected eggs from predation by the pill bugs, Armadillidium vulgare, and marsh slugs, Deroceras laeve. Here, we conducted field observations and laboratory experiments to assess the protective effects of cocoons with faecal coating on eggs against predation and determine the duration and mechanisms of this defence. The efficacy of a double defensive device, however, remains uncertain. Females of a water scavenger beetle, Coelostoma stultum, typically lay eggs and coat them with cocoons and their faeces. Although some insects use their faeces as a protective device, few studies have focused on using faeces for egg protection, and studies that examined the mechanism are lacking. Protective devices are effective means of avoiding both abiotic and biotic damage to eggs. The egg stage in insect development is vulnerable to fluctuations in environmental conditions and attacks by natural enemies. ![]()
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