. British journal of entomology and natural history. Natural history; Entomology. 178 BR. J. ENT. NAT. 2: 1989. Fig. 1. Tachydromia annulipes attacking Phylomyza ranunculi. legs with the dorsum of the prey turned towards the empid with the head of the prey uppermost. The predator spread its metathoracic legs and with the tip of the abdomen of the prey, three points of contact were formed with the substrate. This upright stance was the typical position in which initial feeding took place (Fig. 1). The prey was pulled towards the mouthparts of the predator using the prothoracic legs which
. British journal of entomology and natural history. Natural history; Entomology. 178 BR. J. ENT. NAT. 2: 1989. Fig. 1. Tachydromia annulipes attacking Phylomyza ranunculi. legs with the dorsum of the prey turned towards the empid with the head of the prey uppermost. The predator spread its metathoracic legs and with the tip of the abdomen of the prey, three points of contact were formed with the substrate. This upright stance was the typical position in which initial feeding took place (Fig. 1). The prey was pulled towards the mouthparts of the predator using the prothoracic legs which, when necessary, also warded off the still active legs of the prey. Using the prothoracic legs the predator pushed the head of the prey forward to expose the anterior part of the thorax into which it inserted its mouthparts. The prey ceased to move once the mouthparts of the predator were inserted but whether a venom is injected was not determined. Average feeding time was ± min (/i=8). When it ended the prey was turned upside-down and the predator inserted its mouthparts into the base of the abdomen and fed for a further ± min (n=5) before finally discarding the prey. If the predator was disturbed by approaching it with a brush or pin, feeding stopped and the predator moved away with the prey held between the tibia and femora of one of the mesothoracic legs. To see whether prey capture was elicited only by active flies, prey were experimentally removed with a paintbrush (n=5) from a feeding predator and left in the tube. They were ignored although the predators readily attacked fresh, live P. ranunculi when added. In another series of experiments, live prey were killed by placing them in a freezer. They were then warmed to room temperature and individually introduced into tubes each containing a 12 h starved predator (n=6). These prey flies were similarly ignored. In a separate investigation, nine 12 h starved predators were exposed individually to non-dipt
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