Why Mantises Can Go So Long Without Food

[spencervirt]

I was doing my AP biology summer homework and discovered that insects are the most efficient organisms at extracting energy from their food. Most organisms lose much of that energy. Neat huh?

 

[LauraMG]

My boyfriend always says that humans are the most inefficient energy burners. It's amazing to me how the evolution of these creatures has made them what they are today.

 

[MantidLord]

Interesting, so what exactly is your project on?

 

[spencervirt]

It's not a project. I just had to read and answer questions for summer. I will bring in my mantises for show and tell when we get to the natural selection chapter. My teacher loves mantises so i'm sure he will approve.

 

[Ntsees]

I was doing my AP biology summer homework and discovered that insects are the most efficient organisms at extracting energy from their food. Most organisms lose much of that energy. Neat huh?

I remember that organisms higher up on the food chain (like carnivores) are less efficient at extracting energy as compared to those lower on the food chain (herbivores).

 

[Rick]

I remember that organisms higher up on the food chain (like carnivores) are less efficient at extracting energy as compared to those lower on the food chain (herbivores).

I'm not sure it is because they're less efficient, but that it is because at each trophic level there is a drop in the available amount of energy that can be transferred to the consumer. In the case of herbivores, they're primary consumers that eat the primary producers (plants) which have the highest amount of energy available. A mantis would be a secondary consumer in some cases and a tertriary consumer in others.

 

[hibiscusmile]

All I know is my food tends to stay with me, I don't make good use of it

 

[MantidLord]

I'm not sure it is because they're less efficient, but that it is because at each trophic level there is a drop in the available amount of energy that can be transferred to the consumer. In the case of herbivores, they're primary consumers that eat the primary producers (plants) which have the highest amount of energy available. A mantis would be a secondary consumer in some cases and a tertriary consumer in others.

I believe that to be the truth. So in the case of apex predators such as humans, wouldn't they obtain the least amount of energy?

 

[Rick]

I believe that to be the truth. So in the case of apex predators such as humans, wouldn't they obtain the least amount of energy?

Humans probably are not a good example due to us being omnivores. Depending on what we eat we can be primary, secondary, or tertiary consumers.

 

[MantidLord]

Okay, so lions for example. They eat and sleep. Can that be attributed to the fact that they don't have all the energy to be so active as zebra or gazelle?

 

[Ntsees]

I'm not sure it is because they're less efficient, but that it is because at each trophic level there is a drop in the available amount of energy that can be transferred to the consumer. In the case of herbivores, they're primary consumers that eat the primary producers (plants) which have the highest amount of energy available. A mantis would be a secondary consumer in some cases and a tertriary consumer in others.

Hahaha, you said it better than I did because that's what I meant to say. I guess I'm not too good at explaining things.

 

[more_rayne]

How about differences in energy use among invertebrates. Mantids need to eat all the time, they poop a lot but don't move much. Tarantulas can go for a month or two without eating, and also don't move much.

 

[Rick]

How about differences in energy use among invertebrates. Mantids need to eat all the time, they poop a lot but don't move much. Tarantulas can go for a month or two without eating, and also don't move much.

I'm not so sure mantids NEED to eat all the time. Obviously they can't go a month, but they probably can get by on much less than what we feed them in captivity.