Insect Dietary : an Account of the Food Habits of Insects

of the matters which can be mentioned only briefly in the text. Some of these are cited by name in the text, and the content of others is generally indicated by their titles. They have been classified by topics and appended to the separate chapters. A few have been repeated where they are important in more than one connection, and numerous cross-references will be found under the several headings. It is hoped that these bibliographical interludes will not prove too annoying to the casual reader, who will wish to pass them over. They are intended for the professional biologist, or for the amateur who may desire to find out just how far entomologists have gone in dealing with some very special problem. Such a guide to the subject matter here included has not previously been available, and although the present one is far from complete, I trust that it will be helpful at least, and ask the indulgence of readers who may note the omissions of many references that might have been included.The illustrations will, I hope, enliven the rather lengthy text and serve to clarify certain matters which do not lend themselves too readily to written description. They are derived from many sources. Most of the photographs are the handiwork of the author, mainly from negatives made over the course of many years for teaching purposes. The drawings are the work of Mrs. Anna S. O'Connor and Miss Florence Dunn. They have been redrawn from a great variety of technical publications and often simplified to adapt them to the more generalized purpose of the present book. The source of such illustrations is noted in each case. Mrs. O'Connor also typed a considerable part of the manuscript, and finally, Miss Ruth C. Dunn has aided greatly in the tedious process of seeing the book through the press.I am chiefly indebted to several kind friends and colleagues who have read and criticized the manuscript. First to my wife and daughter, who unfalteringly pursued their reading to the bitter end -omitting the bibliographical interludes; to my colleagues, Professors F. M. Carpenter and F. L. Hisaw, for a critical reading of the biological contents; to Dr. C. M. Williams for a similarly indulgent perusal. Dr. A. Orville Dahl furnished some very helpful criticisms and suggestions on the botanical aspects of the insect galls that are discussed in Chapter IV, and my son, Dr. Austin M. Brues, reviewed the material in this chapter also, in connection with his own work on animal neoplasms.C. Τ. B. This book brings together knowledge of the diverse relations of insects to their environment through the medium of their food, discusses the devious ways in which they have exploited the living world in their search for food, and shows how these activities have guided their evolution and affected that of many other animals and plants.The matters presented in this book had not previously been dealt with as a whole in any single work. The generalized treatment of the subject matter has made it possible to include sufficient detail to relate the food habits of insects to those of other animals and to discuss their bearing on many general biological problems. The classified bibliographic references relating to food habits have not been collated elsewhere. They will enable the reader to find much additional material on the matters discussed, and to follow in detail any particular subject on which he may wish for complete information. FOREWORD CONTENTS ILLUSTRATIONS IN TEXT LIST OF PLATES INTRODUCTION CHAPTER I THE ABUNDANCE AND DIVERSITY OF INSECTS CHAPTER II TYPES OF FOOD HABITS AMONG INSECTS AND THEIR RELATION TO STRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENT VEGETARIANISM CHAPTER III HERBIVOROUS INSECTS CHAPTER IV GALL INSECTS CHAPTER V FUNGI AND MICROBES AS FOOD; SYMBIOSIS WITH MICROORGANISMS CARNIVORISM CHAPTER VI PREDATORY INSECTS CHAPTER VII PARASITISM CHAPTER VIII BLOOD-SUCKING INSECTS AND OTHER EXTERNAL PARASITES CHAPTER IX ENTOMOPHAGOUS PARASITES AND OTHER INTERNAL PARASITES CHAPTER Χ INSECTS AS FOOD FOR MAN AND OTHER ORGANISMS INDEX OF AUTHORS INDEX OF SUBJECTS