Which insects lay their eggs on top of a silk thread to avoid predation?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Lacewings (family Chrysopidae) lay their eggs on the tips of slender silk stalks to reduce predation and cannibalism. Female lacewings secrete a short silk filament and attach a single egg to its end; this elevates the egg above the plant surface so crawling predators and newly hatched lacewing larvae are less likely to reach and eat the egg. The stalk also separates eggs from each other, lowering the chance that hungry larvae will consume nearby siblings.

Relevant concepts: egg-laying strategies, predator avoidance, and larval behavior. Many insect species evolve specific oviposition methods (where and how eggs are placed) to increase offspring survival. Lacewings’ stalked eggs are a specialized adaptation: the silk stalk is typically a few millimeters long and each egg is held singly on its tip. Hatchlings drop down to feed on small prey (like aphids), but the raised position delays or prevents many predators and parasitoids from attacking the eggs.

Step-by-step reasoning through the options:
- Lacewings: Correct. Known for laying single eggs on silk stalks to avoid predation and cannibalism.
- Whiteflies: Incorrect. Whiteflies typically lay tiny eggs on the undersides of leaves, often embedded in waxy secretions—not on silk threads.
- Aphids: Incorrect. Many aphids are viviparous (give birth to live nymphs) during the growing season; sexual morphs that lay eggs deposit them in crevices or on bark, not on silk stalks.
- Moths: Incorrect. Moth eggs are generally glued to plant surfaces or hidden in substrate, not suspended on silk threads.

No numerical calculations are required. The described oviposition behavior uniquely matches lacewings. Therefore the correct answer is Lacewings, which matches the provided answer.

Which insects lay their eggs on top of a silk thread to avoid predation?单项选择题

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