Lepidoptera as Prey of Robber Flies (Diptera: Asilidae) With Unpublished Records

Abstract

Lepidoptera as prey of robber flies and other insects have been frequently observed and documented in literature. However, these observations have not been based on such an extensive database as the Predator-Prey Database for Asilidae. An evaluation of this database and literature indicates that Lepidoptera do not make up as many prey as one would expect based on the number of described species. Potential explanations for this are discussed. Numbers of Lepidoptera prey are examined based on their associated families, genera and species, and the most frequently preyed upon genera. New records of Lepidoptera prey are presented. In both the database and the new records, more moths were preyed upon than butterflies.