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Updated: May 23, 2025

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Relative size matters: eyespots on large insect prey deter small arthropod predators.

Karl Loeffer-Henry1, Changku Kang2,3, Thomas N Sherratt1

  • 1Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada.

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|May 20, 2025
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Summary

Eyespots on insect larvae deter arthropod predators when the prey is large but may attract them when the prey is small. This suggests a size-dependent anti-predator function for eyespots.

Keywords:
Chinese mantidanti-predator defenceeyespotssalticid spider

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Animal Behavior

Background:

  • Eyespots are common in nature and thought to deter predators.
  • Previous research focused on avian predators, with limited understanding of arthropod predator interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effectiveness of eyespots as an anti-predator defense against arthropod predators.
  • To determine how prey size relative to predator size influences the protective function of eyespots.

Main Methods:

  • Experiments using salticid spiders and Chinese mantids presented with mealworms with and without eyespots.
  • Observed attack times of Chinese mantids on hawkmoth larvae of varying sizes and with/without eyespots.

Main Results:

  • Eyespots deterred predation by arthropod predators when insect larvae were large relative to the predator.
  • Eyespots promoted attacks when insect larvae were small compared to the predator.
  • Arthropod predators showed aversion to large prey with eyespots.

Conclusions:

  • The anti-predator efficacy of eyespots is size-dependent in arthropod-predator interactions.
  • Eyespots may serve different functions depending on the predator type and relative prey size.
  • Findings help explain the presence of eyespots in medium-sized caterpillars against avian predators.