Artificial fruits and nuts for studying predation of cryptic prey: A case of 3D-printed coffee berries for studying predation of coffee berry borer by flat bark beetles

Authors: Liang, Peishih; Ladizinsky, Nicolas; Asmus, Glenn; Hamilton, Lindsey; Acebes-Doria, Angelita; Manoukis, Nicholas; Follett, Peter

Submitted to: Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/20/2023
Publication Date: 6/7/2023
Citation: Liang, P., Ladizinsky, N.C., Asmus, G.M., Hamilton, L.J., Acebes-Doria, A.L., Manoukis, N., Follett, P.A. 2023. Artificial fruits and nuts for studying predation of cryptic prey: A case of 3D-printed coffee berries for studying predation of coffee berry borer by flat bark beetles. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 171(9):716-720. https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.13328.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.13328

Interpretive Summary: Studying the effects of predation in cryptic herbivorous insects is difficult because many spend all or most of their life cycle inside their host plant. One of the methods to examine predation in the field is to use mimics and models of plant parts containing prey. However, the construction of these mimics and models is often time consuming and labor intensive, with numerous constraints on matching characteristics such as shape, color, and size due to the availability of compatible materials and the makers skill set. In this study, we designed and 3D-printed artificial coffee berries to study predation of coffee berry borer by flat bark beetles. The 3D-printed berries were tested under laboratory and field conditions and their utility was demonstrated. The ease of producing artificial host plant parts of consistent quality and realistic size and shape by using table-top 3D printers helps simplify the experimental design and alleviate various limitations encountered in field studies.

Technical Abstract: Studying the effects of predation in cryptic herbivorous insects is difficult because many spend all or most of their life cycle inside their host plant, where they are inaccessible for direct observation or experimental manipulation. One of the methods to examine predation in the field is to use mimics and models of plant parts containing prey. However, the construction of these mimics and models is often time consuming and labor intensive, with numerous constraints on matching characteristics such as shape, color, and size due to the availability of compatible materials and the makers skill set. In this study, we designed and 3D-printed artificial coffee berries to study predation of coffee berry borer (CBB) by flat bark beetles. The 3D-printed berries were tested under laboratory and field conditions and the results showed that flat bark beetles have no preference in consuming fresh or previously frozen CBB life stages, whether the prey are inside artificial berries or openly exposed in a petri dish, confirming the usefulness of using 3D-printed materials to create life-like mimics for studying predation. Many other internal feeding pests of nuts and other fruiting structures would be amenable to the use of mimics for natural enemy studies including tropical nut borer, pecan weevil, walnut husk fly, navel orangeworm, filbert moth, and boll weevil.