Cicada Killer Wasps: Investigating Adaptive Function in Feeding Behavior

What is the biologist trying to determine about Cicada Killer wasps?

A. Whether there is a fitness advantage to specializing on cicadas alone rather than capturing cicadas and in addition other large insects as prey.

Answer:

The biologist is investigating whether there is a fitness advantage to specializing on cicadas alone rather than capturing cicadas and other large insects as prey. This question pertains to the Adaptive Function of Cicada Killer wasps.

The student's question pertains to the Adaptive Function of Cicada Killer wasps. This is about how specializing on cicadas as the single prey might provide them a survival or reproductive advantage, similar to how the Karner blue butterfly has adapted to only lay eggs on wild lupine. Evaluating this from an adaptive function standpoint would offer insights into the benefits and trade-offs of such specialization, shedding light on the evolutionary factors shaping this wasp's behavior.

Adaptive Function involves understanding the benefits a particular trait or behavior provides an organism in terms of survival or reproductive success. It focuses on species' adaptations to specific environmental contexts and how these adaptations give them a competitive advantage.

Specialization in feeding behavior, such as only targeting cicadas, may reduce competition for resources among species. However, it also poses risks of population decline or extinction if the targeted prey population decreases significantly. Studying this from an adaptive function perspective helps biologists understand the advantages and trade-offs of such specialization, providing insights into the evolutionary pressures that have shaped the behavior of Cicada Killer wasps.

By investigating the fitness advantages of feeding behavior in Cicada Killer wasps, the biologist aims to contribute to our understanding of evolutionary processes and the adaptations of these fascinating insects.