Differential Foraging on Larvae and Puparia of Blow Flies by Carrion‐Associated Predatory Beetles

ABSTRACT

Carrion represents a resource‐rich habitat in which strong competitive pressures shape predator coexistence. In such ephemeral systems, predators persist through ecological differentiation, including prey‐stage specialization and contrasting foraging strategies. Although carrion‐associated beetles are known to prey on blow flies, their prey selection across life stages of the flies remains poorly understood. We experimentally examined preferences and foraging behaviour of three common carrion‐associated beetle predators: Creophilus maxillosus (Staphylinidae), Saprinus planiusculus and Margarinotus brunneus (Histeridae) towards larvae and puparia of the common blow fly Lucilia sericata . Behavioural assays revealed pronounced interspecific differences in prey preferences. Creophilus maxillosus was found to be a broad‐spectrum predator, efficiently foraging on all types of prey and showing a marked preference for nutrient‐rich postfeeding larvae and young puparia, with increased foraging efficiency when hunting in pairs. In contrast, S. planiusculus was largely restricted to early larval instars (i.e., late second instar and early third instar larvae), extending its prey range to postfeeding larvae through group foraging, while M. brunneus effectively targeted all larval stages. Neither of the histerid species foraged on puparia. Our results demonstrate that prey life stage and predator species jointly structure trophic relations on carrion. More broadly, current findings advance our understanding of predatory niche partitioning in patchy and ephemeral ecosystems like carrion and highlight how predators can alter the structure and dynamics of the necrobiome with implications for carrion insect ecology and forensic entomology.