What is the recorded daily consumption capacity of two adult Aleochara bilineata beetles regarding root maggot eggs?

Answer

1,200 eggs

The text highlights the predatory efficiency of specific rove beetle species when targeting agricultural pests. For the species Aleochara bilineata, a pair consisting of two adult beetles demonstrates a significant capacity for consuming soft-bodied pests. These beetles can devour as many as 1,200 root maggot eggs within a single twenty-four-hour period. This high predation rate underscores why the presence of pests like root maggots is a critical factor in attracting and sustaining beneficial populations of these rove beetles in agricultural settings, as they provide substantial natural pest control services.

What is the recorded daily consumption capacity of two adult Aleochara bilineata beetles regarding root maggot eggs?
behaviorattractioninsectRove beetle