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Communication at the NABS Annual meeting, Keystone, 2000
(121) TEMPORAL CHANGES IN THE DIETS OF LARVAL NET-WINGED MIDGES (DIPTERA: BLEPHARICERIDAE: BLEPHARICERA) FROM GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, NORTH CAROLINA.
A.J. Alverson and G.W. Courtney. Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA 50011
We investigated temporal changes in the diet of two species of larval net-winged midges (Diptera: Blephariceridae: Blepharicera) from Cataloochee Creek in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina. These flies are specialized for life in torrential streams where larvae scrape epilithic diatoms from rocks. The life histories of both species are characterized by exceptionally long larval activity periods. The two species are temporally isolated, however, with Bl. magna over-wintering as larvae and emerging in April and Bl. similans larvae active during the summer and emerging in early fall. Specific objectives include (1) documenting quantitative and qualitative changes in the larval diets of Bl. magna and Bl. similans throughout their larval activity period; and (2) comparing algal composition of gut material with that of source material. Analyses suggest (1) intra- and interspecific differences in larval diets associated with seasonal succession of the algal community; and (2) interspecific differences in grazing efficiency between Bl. magna and Bl. similans.
Presented at 11:30 AM on Tuesday, May 30, 2000 in Species Interactions II
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