In biology lessons we talked about group formation, but what exactly is the difference between predation and parasitism? Predation is prey-predator, but plant-eating beetles are part of this too?
Answer
Hi Anneleen,
Predation always involves a victim who is first caught and then killed.
Most parasites, on the other hand, benefit greatly from allowing their host (animal/plant/…) to live. As long as it remains alive, they will continue to be provided with food. Those who really live IN the host will also remain safe in that case.
Deadly parasites do exist, but they must reproduce successfully before the host dies, or at least find a way out. If not, they themselves are doomed to extinction.
A beetle that feeds on certain parts of the plant, e.g. the root, the leaves or the stem sap, can therefore be called a parasite.
More information can be found here.
Hopefully this has made it a bit clearer!
With best regards,
Merlin
Answered by
drs. Merlijn De Paepe
biology (mainly zoology), applied informatics (mainly internet applications)
Burg. van Gansberghelaan 96 box 1 9820 Merelbeke
http://www.ilvo.vlaanderen.be
.