Entomology, Research Unit, St. Xavier's College, Palayankottai, 627002, (India).
The searching behaviour of Rhynocoris kumarii Ambrose and Livingstone with different hunger level and at different densities of its prey, Spodoptera litura Fabricius, revealed that one day starved predator travelled significantly longer distances than four day starved predator to find prey in the four S. litura larvae density arena. The searching speed of one day prey deprived predator was significantly greater than the four day prey deprived ones. One day starved R. kumarii turned (8.86°/cm) to a greater degree than 2 and 4 day starved R. kumarii (4.16° and 2.14°/cm, respectively). The total distance travelled by R. kumarii with a 4 prey density was significantly longer than that with a 1 prey density. The predators at 4 and 2 prey density regime searched at a significantly higher speed than the predators at the 1 prey density regime.
