OBSERVATIONS Op THE PREY-PREDATOR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PSEUDOREGMA BAMBUCICOLA (HOMOPTERA, PEMPHIGIDAE) AND METASYRPHUS COiVFRA TER (DIPTERA, SYRPHIDAE), WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE BEHAVIOUR OF TjHE APHID SOLDIERS

Abstract

Some observations on the pseudoscorpion-like soldiers of a bamboo aphid, Pseudowgma bambucicola (Takahashi) are reported. The soldiers attack only the first instar larvae of Metasyrphus confrater (Wiedemann), which is a predaceous species of this aphid. The aphid soldiers can successfully attack the individuals in the early stage of the 1st instar larvae of the syrphid fly. However, all the soldiers that attacked the larvae died within a few minutes, probably due to a toxic chemical substance secreted by the latter.