Effects of predators and food availability on activity and growth of Chironomus tentans (Chironomidae: Diptera)

SUMMARY 1. Larvae of Chironomus tentans Fab, decreased the amount of time they spent outside their tubes as the presence of predatory pumpkinseed sunfish ( Lepomis gibbosus L.) increased. Greatest reductions in activity occurred at low levels of fish presence; above a certain level further increases in fish presence had little effect on activity. 2. Whether the pattern of predator presence was ordered or random had no effect on larval …