Abstract
The phenomenon of cannibalism was examined as it is practiced by the confused flour beetle : The consumption of eggs (E) and pupae (P) by larvae (L) and adults (A). The insect cultures were maintained on whole-wheat flour , yeast , and no-food for 24 and 48 hrs at 29 C and 70% relative humidity. ANOVA of the data revealed that cannibalistic mean rates of (Ex L and A), (LxA), (PxL), (LxPxA), and time periods were significantly different (P<0.01). On the other hand, yeast medium showed less cannibalistic effect on the insect than flour. But with lack of food, a great cannibalistic pressure was observed. The importance of intraspecific cannibalism both as a source of mortality and as population regulatory mechanism for the Tribolium confusum is stressed throughout this work