Mean, Mimetic, Killing Machines: The Evolution of a Unique Beetle Predator

The beetle family Cerambycidae consists of over 35,000 species worldwide and they are all considered herbivorous as they feed on different parts of plant material. But, there are three species that are predaceous and feed on other beetles. These predaceous beetles actually mimic their own prey, which is intriguing not only because cerambycid beetles usually eat plants, but also because their chosen prey are chemically protected and are actively avoided by other predators such as reptiles and birds. Are the cerambycid beetles sequestering defensive compounds from the beetles they consume? How did this unique feeding behavior evolve?

Speaker: Traci Grzymala is a graduate student in the Will Lab at UC Berkeley in the Environmental Science, Policy, and Management department. She studies the taxonomy and evolutionary relationships of beetles and is particularly interested in the evolution of unique animal behaviors. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Florida in 2006 and received a master's degree from the University of New Mexico in 2009