Predation costs associated with parental care in the golden egg bug Phyllomorpha laciniata (Heteroptera: Coreidae)

Parental care will evolve when the benefits in terms of offspring survival are greater than the costs to the parents. Costs have been classified as reproductive and survival costs. Greater predation rates among adults caring for young are included among survival costs, but few studies have been able to demonstrate such a link. Among golden egg bugs (Phyllomorpha laciniata) females can lay eggs on plants, males, or other females; adults carry the eggs until they hatch. Using an experimental approach, we show that adults carrying eggs are more likely to be preyed upon by birds than adults without eggs. These greater predation rates may be the consequence of adults being more easily detected by predators when carrying eggs, and/or to their reduced ability to escape, as most eggs are carried over the wings, making it impossible for individuals carrying eggs to fly. Despite these survival costs to carrying adults, caring for eggs is favored by natural selection because it greatly increases the survival of offspring.