As you study two closely related predatory insect species, the two-spot and the three-spot
Avenger beetles, you notice that each species seeks prey at dawn in areas without the other species. However, where their ranges overlap, the two-spot avenger beetle hunts at night and the three-spot hunts in the morning. When you bring them into the laboratory and isolate the two different species, you discover that the offspring of both species are nocturnal. You have discovered an example of

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The observation that the two closely related predatory insect species, the two-spot avenger beetle, and the three-spot avenger beetle hunt at different times in areas where their ranges overlap is an example of resource partitioning. This means that the two species are partitioning or dividing up the resources available to them (in this case, prey) by using them at different times. The fact that the offspring of both species are nocturnal in the laboratory suggests that this may be a learned behavior, passed down from their parents who were forced to hunt at night due to competition with the other species.

As You Study Two Closely Related Predatory Insect Species, the Two-Spot